Chip Crusted Tofu with Fiesta Quinoa Salad and Avocado Horseradish Sauce
Crispy tofu, tangy horseradishy sauce, and a soothing quinoa salad - turns out to be an excellent combination!
I owe four grand thank-yous for inspiring this vanesscipe:
4. The ridiculous amount of quinoa in my pantry.
3. My friend, coworker, and professional Party Planner, EDub, for the avocado horseradish sauce recipe. She made it for me once and I was hooked. Avo and horseradish - who knew?
2. Salt & Vinegar potato chips. Yes, I realize that this recipe calls for Yogurt and Sour Cream chips, but it was a newfound mutual love of Salt & Vinegar potato chips that made me vow to raise chips’ status from mere delicious snack to true culinary masterpiece. To fit the south-of-the-boarder theme of this menu, however, I’ve used Yogurt and Sour Cream chips. Sour Cream and Chive or BBQ could also work. Stay tuned for other Salt & Vinegar chip recipes.
1. I’m also quite obliged to The Sistaster for keeping a cool head and avoiding near disaster when my beloved crushed chips wouldn’t flipping stick to the tofu! Not only does the banana/soy mix add a yummy Caribbean flair, but it actually worked better at getting the chips to stick to the tofu than an egg-based mix I tried. AND it’s vegan.
Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Fiesta Quinoa
1 cups quinoa
1 ¾ cups water
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 box frozen corn, or equiv of fresh corn cooked and cut from the cob
1 jalapeno
2 limes
2 Tbl honey
1/2 bunch of cilantro
3 Tbl oil
1 tsp salt
Quinoa
Rinse quinoa (gets rid of some nasty thing that clings to it) - put it in a big bowl and run a couple of changes of water over it, draining as best as possible but don’t get too worried about it.
Bring water to boil. Add quinoa and whatever water is left from rinsing. After water comes back to a boil, turn down the heat and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until water is absorbed and store in the fridge until you’re ready to mix with the other ingredients.
Cut tomatoes in half. Cook corn, or if using frozen corn keep frozen. Mince jalapeno (wear gloves!)
When quinoa is done add all the ingredients together in a big bowl and mix well.
Put the honey and lime in a small bowl and microwave for 40 seconds.
Chop cilantro and add with the oil, salt and pepper to the honey-lime mix. Stir.
Pour dressing over the quinoa.
Avocado Horseradish Sauce
2 avocados
2 Tbl sour cream or vegan substitute
3 Tbl prepared horseradish
2 limes
½ tsp salt
Halve the avocado and remove the pit. Cut into quarters and peel away the skin and put flesh into a bowl. Using the back of a spoon or a fork, mash the avocado. Add the sour cream and horseradish and stir. Squeeze in the lime and add the salt. If you want to make it really smooth use a food processor or a hand blender.
Chip Crusted Tofu
16 oz tofu
1 banana
red pepper, salt, and garlic powder to taste
¼ cup soy milk
yogurt & green onion flavored potato chips, finely crushed
oil
Cut the tofu into 4 long flat cutlets. Should be about ¼ inch thick.
Smash the banana in a small bowl add the spices and soy milk. Should make a thick paste. Coat the tofu in the banana mix and dredge in the crushed chips. If you handle it gently this works very well. Heat a layer of oil in a skillet and fry the tofu cutlets until brown and crispy, flipping over once, about 5 minutes on each side.
