Robin Robertson

If you’re looking for something different to wake up your taste buds, this vegan shakshuka may be just the ticket. Tofu replaces poached eggs in this spicy dish that originated in Tunisia. It’s great for brunch or a light supper.  I like to serve it with a side of oven-fried potatoes and a salad. Chopped cooked artichoke hearts are a good addition to the zesty sauce and are a good foil for the spicy heat. If you prefer less heat, you can reduce the amount of harissa, red pepper flakes, and/or jalapeno.  Serve with warm crusty Italian bread or pita bread.

This is one of the 25 all-new recipes featured in One-Dish Vegan (Revised and Expanded edition).

Vegan Shakshuka

Makes 4 servings

12 ounces firm tofu, drained

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon Indian black salt (kala namak), optional

Salt and ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons harissa paste or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 teaspoon Za’atar spices or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Chopped parsley or cilantro, as garnish

Crusty Italian bread or warm pita bread, to serve

1/2 cup vegan unsweetened yogurt

Cut the block of tofu into four 1/2-inch thick slices, and then use a cookie cutter to cut the slices into 4-inch rounds.  Save the tofu scraps to use in a scramble or other recipe. Rub kala namak (if using) on the surface of the the tofu rounds. Rub the turmeric in a 1 ½-inch circle in the center of each tofu round. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and chile and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Stir in the smoked paprika, cumin, tomato paste, harissa, sugar, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until slightly saucy, about 4 minutes, mashing any large pieces of tomato. Reduce the heat to low, season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Arrange the tofu rounds on top of the sauce, pressing down so just the centers show and the rest of the tofu is submerged in the sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes longer to thicken the sauce and heat the tofu.

To serve, sprinkle Za’atar spices and garnish with fresh parsley.  Serve with toasted crusty bread or baguette or pita bread and yogurt, if using.

This year, we will have Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday with friends, but I couldn’t let the actual day go by without doing at least some cooking — and we LOVE Thanksgiving leftovers!

I happened to pick up a Tofurky roast on sale, but I always end up making a separate baking dish of my own stuffing.  This time, I decided to transform the humble Tofurky into a holiday roast to be reckoned with by opening it up, stuffing it with A LOT of stuffing, and wrapping the whole thing in yuba (bean curd skin), before roasting it to perfection.

The actual process happened in a swirl of creativity, so I didn’t stop to take step-by-step photos.  I’ll explain what I did:

TRICKED-OUT TOFURKY

Ingredients:

1 recipe of your favorite stuffing, made ahead and refrigerated

1 Tofurky Roast

1 or 2 sheets of frozen yuba (bean curd skin), available in Asian markets, thawed and at room temperature

Method:

1. Make your favorite stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate in a bowl until needed.

2. Cut the ends off the Tofurky and discard the plastic wrapper.  Cut about a 1-inch thick slice off the bottom of the Tofurky and place the roast, cut side up, on your cutting board. Cut that 1-inch slice lengthwise into 2 1/2-inch slices and set them aside.

3. Carefully make a cut long-way through the center of the roast stopping just short of cutting all the way through. (The roast should stay in once piece, if possible.  Removing the stuffing and adding it to your bowl of stuffing. Cut a few diagonal slits in each side of the inside of the Tofurky, essentially to open it up to be nearly flat. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

4. If your yuba is stiff, place it (folded) in a large mixing bowl with about 1 cup of warm vegetable broth.  Let it soak until softened.  Carefully open up the yuba sheets and arrange them in the bowl to line it. (You can leave the broth in the bowl.)

5. Place the cut Tofurky in the bowl on top of the yuba, cut-side up,  Transfer the stuffing into the bowl on top of the Tofurky, pressing to shape it into an oval. Press the sides of the Tofurky into the stuffing to make a nice oval roast shape.  Place the 2 reserved 1/2-inch Tofurky slices on top of the stuffing, pressing them in to make a firm roast.

6. Gather the yuba up and around the sides of the roast so that the roast is entirely wrapped in yuba. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the roast and invert a rimmed baking sheet on top.  Carefully flip the bowl and baking sheet so that the roast is now on the baking sheet.  Remove the bowl.

7. Rub the outside of the roast lightly with oil or spray it lightly with cooking oil spray. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.  Uncover and bake for about 20 minutes longer or until the yuba is nicely browned.

Transfer the roast to a serving platter (it’s easy to do with the parchment paper — you can then slide out the parchment paper and discard.  If your platter is large enough, surround it with roasted veggies.  Cut the roast with a serrated knife and serve with gravy.

We really loved the results.  I served the roast with roasted butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and pecans; twice-baked stuffed potatoes; and cranberry sauce.

Assembling the roastwas much easier to do than it sounds, and way more delicious with all the added stuffing and crispy yuba skin.  Plus you can serve way more people this way. Win-win, any way you look at it (especially for the turkeys).

Milder and thicker than other curries and slightly sweet, Japanese curries are typically thickened with a roux. This Japanese Vegetable Curry from One-Dish Vegan cuts the fat and adds flavor by pureeing some of the vegetables in the curry to thicken it. This is also good made with fresh or frozen shelled edamame instead of the tofu and snow peas instead of the green peas. S&B brand curry powder works best in this dish.

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Japanese Vegetable Curry

Milder and thicker than other curries and slightly sweet, Japanese curries are typically thickened with a roux. This version cuts the fat and adds flavor by pureeing some of the vegetables in the curry to thicken it. This is also good made with fresh or frozen shelled edamame instead of the tofu and snow peas instead of the green peas. S&B brand curry powder works best in this dish.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword Japanese Curry

Yields 4 servings

Author Robin Robertson

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil or ¼ cup (60 ml) water
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick slices
• 1½ to 2 tablespoons (9 to 13 g) yellow curry powder
• 1½ tablespoons (24 g) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) wheat-free tamari
• 1 to 2 teaspoons agave nectar
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 1/3 cup (82 g) applesauce
• 3 cups (700 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 large rurusset potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) dice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon (16 g) mellow miso paste
• 8 ounces (225 g) extra-firm tofu, well drained, blotted dry, and diced
• ¾ cup (113 g) fresh or (98 g) thawed frozen peas

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and then stir in the curry powder, tomato paste, tamari, agave, cayenne (if using), applesauce, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the potato and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
2. Transfer about 2 cups (455 g) of the mixture to a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the miso paste and puree until smooth. Stir the vegetable puree back into the curry along with the tofu and peas and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
3. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

From One-Dish Vegan by Robin Robertson © 2018 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Used with permission.

Israeli (pearl) couscous is larger than regular couscous, giving it more flavor and texture. It is especially delicious in this One-Pot Sicilian Couscous dish from One-Dish Vegan made with chickpeas, olives, and an assortment of vegetables.

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One-Pot Sicilian Couscous

Israeli (pearl) couscous is larger than regular couscous, giving it more flavor and texture. It is especially delicious in this Sicilian-spiced dish made with chickpeas, olives, and an assortment of vegetables.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Sicilian Couscous

Yields 4 servings

Author Robin Robertson

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil or ¼ cup (60 ml) water
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 plum tomatoes, chopped or 1 can (14 ounces, or 400 g) of diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon ground saffron or turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
• 1½ cups (246 g) cooked chickpeas or 1 can (15.5 ounces, or 440 g) of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1¼ cup (219 g) uncooked Israeli (pearl) couscous
• 2 cups (475 ml) vegetable broth
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt
• 1 jar (12 ounces, or 340 g ) of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• ½ cup (85 g) Kalamata olives, halved and pitted
• 2 tablespoons (28 ml) fresh lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh (8 g) parsley or (5 g) basil

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil or water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes to soften the vegetables. Stir in the tomatoes, dried basil, saffron, and paprika. Stir in the chickpeas, couscous, broth, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes longer or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add the artichoke hearts, olives, and lemon juice and season with black pepper just before serving. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Recipe Notes

From One-Dish Vegan by Robin Robertson © 2018 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Used with permission.

Butternut squash adds a touch of sweetness to the coconut-curry sauce in this Coconut Curry Noodles recipe from One-Dish Vegan. Mix and match vegetables or make it as spicy as you like—begin with as much or as little cayenne as you like and then garnish with sriracha or sambal oelek for more heat.

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Coconut Curry Noodles and Butternut Squash

Butternut squash adds a touch of sweetness to the coconut-curry sauce. Mix and match vegetables or make it as spicy as you like—begin with as much or as little cayenne as you like and then garnish with sriracha or sambal oelek for more heat.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Coconut Curry

Yields 4 servings

Author Robin Robertson

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons neutral vegetable oil
• 3 shallots chopped
• 1 tablespoon (8 g) grated fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) wheat-free tamari
• 1 tablespoon (6 g) yellow curry powder
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups (475 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) dice (about 3 cups)
• 8 ounces (225 g) dried rice noodles
• 2 cups (140 g) chopped bok choy or other leafy greens
• 1 can (14 ounces, or 395 ml) of unsweetened coconut milk
• ½ cup (8 g) chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 scallions, chopped
• Lime wedges, to serve
• Sriracha or sambal oelek, to serve (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to soften. Stir in the tamari, curry powder, coriander, cayenne, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Stir in the broth and then add the squash. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the squash is tender. Add the bok choy and simmer for another 10 minutes.
3. While the vegetables are cooking, soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water and set aside. When the noodles are soft, drain them and add them to the vegetables.
4. Stir in the coconut milk and heat until hot—but do not boil. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
5. Serve in large bowls and garnish with cilantro and scallions. Serve with lime wedges and sriracha (if using).

Recipe Notes

From One-Dish Vegan by Robin Robertson © 2018 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Used with permission.