Olive Oil Tofu Sandwich with Garlic Jalapeno Spread & Caramelized Onions

Thanks to everyone's deep seeded desire to know what everyone else is doing and eating, people post a lot of food pictures on the internet. Occasionally I come across a picture of something that I absolutely must have immediately. This is that sandwich. Word has is a sandwich along these lines was purchased at a cuban restaurant (with tofu!) and boy did it sound good so I went ahead and made my own version for dinner. I will definitely be making this again.

One Year Ago Today Pistachio Butter & Apple Sandwich on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Two Years Ago Today Seitan Stew with Cumin & Cilantro

Simply seasoned tofu in rich extra virgin olive oil slathered with roasted garlic and jalapeno spread, vegan mayo, sweet caramelized onions and crisp romaine lettuce on a crusty roll.

Olive Oil Tofu Sandwich
serves 2
1/2 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, 1/2" slices
extra virgin olive oil
salt, pepper and dried thyme
2 crusty bread rolls, toasted
vegan mayonnaise
romaine lettuce

Preheat the oven to 425.
Liberally drizzle the slices of tofu with olive oil, salt, pepper and dried thyme on both sides.
Roast for 15-20 minutes, flipping once after 10 minutes.
Spread a thin layer of vegan mayo on one side of the bread. On the other side slather a thick layer of garlic jalapeno spread. Add the tofu and romaine and serve.

Garlic Jalapeno Spread
for two sandwiches
2 heads garlic
1 large jalapeno, seeded or not depending on your heat preference, minced
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425.
Slice the bottoms of each head of garlic and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Wrap both heads in one square of foil and roast for one hour until the garlic is brown, soft and sweet.
Drizzle the minced jalapeno with a little olive oil and salt and roast on a baking sheet for 15 minutes.
Squeeze all of the garlic cloves out of the heads and mash into a paste. Add the minced jalapeno and lightly season with salt.

Caramelized Onions
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 lb sweet onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and maple syrup and reduce the heat to medium-low. Saute, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes, until the onions start to soft, sweet and dark brown.

Portland French Dip with Sun Dried Tomato Aioli, Arugula, Caramelized Onions & Au Jus

 A meaty, thinly sliced portobello french dip sandwich marinated in fennel, garlic and tamari then grilled and stuffed inside a toasted french roll with sun dried tomato mayo, fresh arugula and sweet caramelized onions. Serve with warm au jus sauce for the perfect vegan version of a classic sandwich.

Portland French Dip
2 sandwiches
1/3 cup vegetable broth
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 tbl tamari
1 tbl vegan worcestershire sauce
1 tbl onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 tsp pepper
4 large portobello mushroom caps, gills scraped out, thinly sliced
sundried tomato aioli
2 french rolls, toasted
1 handful baby arugula
caramelized onions

Combine the broth, 2 tbl olive oil, tamari, worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder, fennel seeds and pepper in a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine. Add the thinly sliced mushrooms and marinate for 1 hour.
Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.
Brush the grill with a little bit of oil and grill the mushrooms until lightly charred and cooked through, 10 minutes.
Spread the sundried tomato aioli on each roll and top with mushrooms, arugula and onions. Dip in warm au jus.

Sun Dried Tomato Aioli
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
3 tbl vegan mayonnaise
4 medium-large basil leaves
2 tbl chopped chives
2 tbl water
salt and pepper

Boil the water and add the tomatoes. Set aside and allow to reconstitute for 10 minutes. Drain the water.
Combine the tomatoes with the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to chill for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Caramelized Onions
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 lb sweet onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and maple syrup and reduce the heat to medium-low. Saute, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes, until the onions start to soft, sweet and dark brown.

Au Jus
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup mushroom broth
1/2 cup creamy portobello soup ( I used Imagine Brand)
1 tbl vegan worcestershire sauce
1 tsp tamari
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Saute the shallot and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes until tender. Add the broth, soup, worcestershire sauce, tamari, pepper, thyme, salt and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Short Rib Sandwich with Caramelized Red Onions, Mushrooms & Cheese Sauce

Shredded beef-like soy curls simmered with carrots, onions, red wine and worcestershire on a poppy seed roll with caramelized onions, oyster mushrooms and creamy cheese sauce.

Short Rib Sandwich
serves 4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, small dice
1 carrot, small dice
1 celery stalk, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups dried soy curls
2 tbl vegan worcestershire sauce
2 tbl tamari
1 tbl dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups vegetable broth
5-8 dashes hot sauce
2 bay leaves
4 poppy seed rolls
1 cup baby arugula leaves

Saute the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until the vegetables start to become tender, 10 minutes. Add the garlic and soy curls and toss to combine. Cook 2 minutes more to toast the garlic. Season with worcestershire, tamari, thyme, salt and pepper. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with red wine and add the broth, hot sauce and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook until all of the moisture has been evaporated and the soy curls brown slightly, 10-15 minutes. Serve on rolls with arugula, onions, mushrooms and cheese sauce.

Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced oyster mushrooms
1 tbl red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp organic light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Saute the onions and mushrooms in olive oil over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until soft and starting to brown. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and cook on low for 20 more minutes.

Cheese Sauce
1 small white onion, small dice
1 small russet potato, peeled, small dice
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbl tahini
salt and pepper

Combine the onion, potato and cashews in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender and fully cooked through. Reserve 1/2 cup water and drain the rest.
Transfer to a blender and add the starchy water, nutritional yeast, tahini, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Tofu Scramble with Caramelized Onions, Walnuts, Garbanzo Beans & Spinach, Garlic Sauce

This is not your ordinary tofu scramble, this scramble is jam packed with flavor, texture and crunch. Caramelize the onions while you cook the tofu and everything will come together quick and be just what you need to start your morning off right.
I recently discovered a really effective and fast way to drain and press tofu without wasting time and tons of paper towels. If I think ahead, I still go with the traditional way of pressing tofu, because it is hands off. But if I am preparing tofu last minute like I did this morning, I go with this method with excellent results.
Simply place 1" tofu slices in a DRY saute pan over medium-high heat. Every couple minutes, press down firmly on each slab with the back of a spatula to release the water. The release of moisture ensures the tofu will not stick to the pan and after about 10 minutes of each side, you get firm, dry slabs of tofu that are ready to be prepared any way you like.

Hearty tofu scramble with sweet caramelized onions, spinach, toasted walnuts and garbanzo beans. Top with a drizzle of zesty garlic sauce and call it a day.

Tofu Scramble
serves 3
5 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper

1 lb extra firm tofu, cut into 3 wide slices
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbl thinly sliced fresh basil leaves (about 6-8 leaves)

Saute the onions in 2 tbl of olive oil over medium-low heat. Once they have started to brown, about 10 minutes, season with 1/4 tsp salt. Continue to cook until caramelized and sweet, 15 more minutes.
While the onions are cooking, prepare the tofu.
Heat a large, dry pan over medium-high. Add the three tofu slabs and press down on each piece with the back of a spatula to release the water. Cook each side for 10 minutes, pressing out the water every 2 minutes.
Crumble up the tofu and add 3 tbl of olive oil, turmeric, dried basil, red pepper flakes, 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper. Cook for 10 minutes to lightly brown. Add the beans and spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted.
Toss with the walnuts and fresh basil. Drizzle with garlic sauce.

Garlic Sauce
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
6 oz soft, silken tofu
1 tbl white miso
salt and pepper

Saute the garlic in olive oil until toasted and browned.
Transfer to a blender and add the remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.