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.

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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.

Roasted Shallot, Rosemary & Garlic Focaccia

The perfect time to roast your shallots and garlic is right before you start making the dough. This way the heat from your oven warms the top and you can rest your dough on the oven, giving it just the right amount of heat it needs to proof up big and billowy.

Roasted Shallot, Rosemary & Garlic Focaccia
2 shallots, peeled, cloves separated
1 head garlic, bottom sliced off
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
1 cup room temperature water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
3 cups ap flour
2 tbl organic cane sugar
2 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
1 tbl fleur de sel or coarse sea salt
2 tbl cornmeal
2 tbl chopped fresh rosemary
Preheat the oven to 425. Toss together the shallots, garlic, 2 tbl of oil and a pinch of sea salt in a foil packet and roast for 1 hour until soft and caramelized.
In a standing mixer with a dough hook, add the water and 1/4 cup oil. Mix to combine. Next add the flour, sugar and yeast. Turn the mixer on low. Once the dough has almost fully combined, add the salt. Turn the speed to medium and mix for 8-10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and only very slightly sticky.
Remove the dough from the bowl and grease the bowl. Use your hands to form the dough into a ball and place the dough back in the greased bowl. Cover with seran wrap and sit on top of the hot oven. Let rise until it has doubled, about 45 minutes.
Coat a sheet pan with a little bit of olive oil and cornmeal. Press the dough gently down to form a rectangle about 1/2" thick. Brush the dough with a bit of olive oil and press the garlic and shallots into the dough like a dimple. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Cover with seran wrap and let rest on top of the hot oven for 15 minutes.
Reduce the oven to 400 and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Thin Crust Pizza with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Artichokes

I love artichokes on pizza, especially when marinated in lemon juice and herbs. They suck up so much flavor, so along with the addition of sweet cherry tomatoes, they make up a really flavorful pizza without all the weight and heaviness a cheese filled pizza has. Slightly roasting the tomatoes before baking them on the pizza allows them to get a head start on popping and releasing all the marinated flavor onto the pizza once done.

Lemon-herb marinated artichokes and cherry tomatoes, roasted until they pop with garlic and fresh basil with a quick homemade tomato sauce on fresh pizza dough.

Roasted Tomato Artichoke Pizza
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the dough
juice from one lemon & 1 tbl of zest
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
5 basil leaves, chiffonade, plus more for the pizza
2 tbl fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
pinch of red pepper flakes
10 oz cherry tomatoes
1-15oz can artichoke quarters, drained and rinsed
1 head of garlic
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
fresh pizza dough
Traditional Pizza Sauce-recipe below

Combine 1/4 cup oil, lemon juice, zest, salt, pepper, basil leaves, parsley and red pepper flakes with the tomatoes and artichokes. Cover, chill and marinate for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450.
Cut a thin layer off the bottom of the garlic bulb, keeping the core in tact and drizzle with 1 tbl olive oil. Wrap up in a foil pouch and roast for 45 minutes until soft and sweet. When 10 minutes remain on the garlic, separate the tomatoes from the artichokes, spread in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast in the oven with the garlic.
If your pizza dough is chilled, remove from the refrigerator and package and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Roll out into a thin circle or square and let rest 10 minutes more. Place on a pizza stone or baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 425.
If the dough shrinks up a little, roll it gently out again to desired size and top with pizza sauce, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Top with marinated artichokes, cherry tomatoes and whole roasted garlic cloves.
Drizzle the crust with a little bit of olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt.
Bake for 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and cooked through. Garnish with freshly torn basil and parsley.

Traditional Pizza Sauce
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, small dice
salt and pepper
1 tsp organic sugar
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 fresh basil leaves, whole
1-15oz can tomato sauce

Saute the onions in a small sauce pot with oil and 1/2 tsp salt until soft and fragrant, 5 minutes. Add the pepper, sugar, red pepper flakes and garlic and toast 2 minutes more. Add the basil and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the basil leaves. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Lemon-Dijon Tofu, Red Onion, New Potatoes, Roasted Garlic

Grilled tofu slathered in dijon, fresh rosemary, red pepper flakes and parsley. Sweet red onions, new potatoes, charred lemon and golden brown whole garlic cloves.

Grilled Lemon-Dijon Tofu

2 lemons, halved
1 cup dijon mustard
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbl chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbl minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 block extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 1/2" slices
Olive oil

Combine juice from one lemon, mustard, curry powder, salt, pepper, parsley, red pepper flakes and rosemary in a baking dish and whisk to combine. Coat the tofu in both sides, cover and marinate for 2-3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375.
Preheat a grill on medium high. Brush with oil to coat the grates. Grill the tofu on both sides until charred. Then place back in the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Grill the remaining lemon halves, cut side down until charred and serve each plate with a lemon half to squeeze over the tofu.

Red Onions, New Potatoes

3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
1 tbl chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbl lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 large red onion, 1/2" slices
2 large red potatoes, par baked whole and sliced into 1/4" slices

In a large container combine all of the marinade ingredients with the red onion slices and warm, par baked potato slices. Toss to coat and let sit and marinate for 1 hour.
Preheat a grill to medium high heat and brush with oil to coat.
Grill the potatoes and onions until soft and charred and cooked through.

Roasted Garlic
1 head garlic, end sliced off
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 375. Drizzle the cut side of the garlic with oil and salt and wrap up in a foil pouch. Roast for 1 hour until the cloves are soft and sweet.