Healthy Recipe Week: Boston to Berkeley

Please join me in welcoming Beth to the Healthy Recipe Week lineup! Beth and I met on a run in December 2009, and we were Boston Marathon buddies in 2010. I was recently surprised (and insanely jealous!) to see Beth on Twitter as Boston2Berkeley! Since then, we have reconnected, and I am loving Beth’s fresh vegetarian recipes, especially the one below.

As many of you vegetarians know, it is often more of a challenge to feel like you are putting together a real meal, especially one that might satisfy naysaying meat eaters. Beth’s cornmeal crusted fillet with tomato caper sauce is just that, a hearty, complete meal. I love the combination of the cornmeal crust with tomato sauce, and I am excited to add this to my meatless meals repertoire!

Before I forgetm the winner of the Sibling Rivalry voucher giveaway from Eversave Boston is. . . Kelly. Congrats Kelly, I will email you your voucher. Thank you, Eversave Boston! I look forward to checking out more of their fabulous Boston area deals!

Cornmeal-Crusted Fillet with Tomato-Caper Sauce

Ingredients: (for the fillet)

1 package silken tofu

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

(for the sauce)

olive oil

1/2 pint of grape tomatoes

2 medium tomatoes (I used one red and yellow heirloom, but any tomatoes that look good and smell like tomatoes will work perfectly here )

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp capers

1/4 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Drain the water from the tofu package, and press the tofu.  Press the tofu for at least 30min prior to cutting the fillets.

2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the grape tomatoes in half and lay them cut side up in a baking dish.  Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and roast them in the oven for 30min or until caramelized.

3. Remove the seeds from your two tomatoes, chop them, and set aside.  Chop the olives and set aside.  Also chop the onion and mince the garlic and set aside.  Having these ingredients prepared will allow you to put the sauce together in a matter of minutes later.

4. Mix together the cornmeal and the nutritional yeast and spread the mixture out on a small plate.

5. Whisk together the champagne vinegar, balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes.  Pour this mixture onto a second small plate.

6. Once you have pressed the tofu, cut it in half lengthwise, and then cut each rectangle in half diagonally so you have four triangular fillets.  Don’t worry if the tofu breaks into some smaller pieces.  Silken tofu doesn’t stay together as well as firm or extra firm tofu.  Plus, irregularly shaped fillets will just make your dish look more authentic.

7. Heat a large skillet on medium high with a drizzle of olive oil.  When a drop of water sizzles in the skillet, it will be ready for your tofu.

8. Salt and pepper both sides of each fillet, and dip both sides in the champagne mixture and then in the corn meal mixture.  Carefully place each fillet in the hot skillet.

9. Resist the urge to adjust the tofu once it’s in the skillet.  The secret to getting a good crust on the tofu is not to move it once it’s in the pan.  After 3-5 min (you can cheat and check the bottom of one piece if necessary), carefully flip the tofu and cook for an additional 3min on the second side.  Remove the tofu to a separate plate.

10.  Add another tablespoon of olive oil back to the same skillet.  Add your chopped onion and stir.  Allow the onion to cook for approximately 3 min (or until translucent), and add your garlic.

11.  Remove your roasting grape tomatoes from the oven, and add them to the pan, along with the diced tomatoes, chopped olives and capers.  Stir.

12. Add 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar to your sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.

13.  Serve your tofu over quinoa, lentils, greens, or nearly anything else you would like and spoon the sauce on top.

Whether or not you are a vegetarian, what is a true vegetarian meal/entrée that you love?