grab the tortillas

Deborah
One of my favorite food blogs is Herbivoracious, written by Michael Natkin, a vegetarian cook who loves good food and fine dining. Michael is from Seattle so his local frame-of-reference is a little different than ours here in NY. I first came upon Michael's blog through the food blog hub Serious Eats. His recipes and food photos really stood out from the over-crowded field. Now that I have found Michael I really look forward to his strictly vegetarian recipes and smart observations about the food industry in general.

My backyard herbs are in full swing. I take cutting every evening to put into my salads.

Today's post on Herbivoracious was Grilled Tofu and Pepper Vegetarian Tacos. It seems like the perfect fit for our current grilling theme. Michael's recipe is a little more labor intensive than we usually offer up here, but I really respect his instincts and have faith that the result will be well worth the work. Michael suggests buying the freshest and best corn tortillas you can find. I heartily concur. Try to find lesser known brands that look like they came packaged straight from Mexico. There are small tortilla companys all over that sell great products.

These Guerrero tortillas are actually from Mexico. Also look for small brands like Tropical which is located in New Jersey. The scent of warm corn tortillas is a joy to behold!

Grilled Tofu and Pepper Vegetarian Tacos
by Michael Natkin
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
Serves 4

1.5 ounces achiote "brick" paste (aka annatto)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons Tapatio or other hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
10 ounces extra firm tofu cut into 1/3" slabs and patted dry
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/3" slabs
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
24 corn tortillas
-serve with guacamole and salsa

In a small bowl, break up the achiote with a fork and mash in the oil, a little at a time until it dissolves. Mix in the cumin, hot sauce and salt.
Heat up a grill or grill pan to a medium flame. Brush the tofu with the achiote oil on one side and grill until well marked. Brush the other side, flip, and grill. Repeat with the zucchini. Allow both to cool and then cut into 1/3" dice.
Heat up a frying pan over a medium-high flame. Add 2 tablespoons of the achiote oil. Saute the onion, garlic and bell peppers until very soft.
Add the tofu and zucchini to the pepper mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning. It may need more salt, or a little lime or lemon juice, or more chile heat.
Wrap the tortillas in a damp, clean dish towel and microwave for about 3 minutes until soft and warm.
To eat, lay down two tortillas. Top with a moderate scoop of the filling, a spoonful of guacamole and salsa. Pass more hot sauce for those who want it.




Amanda
Well, it certainly seem worth the effort! First, Deb - where should I look for the achiote paste? Do you think Whole Foods or Fairway would have it? After that, the rest of the ingredients should not be a problem. And thanks for sharing the Herbivoraceous blog - it's wonderful!


I have mentioned earlier that you should basically choose a fun, simple wine when grilling and not think too much about it. Accept when there is a sauce, or ethnic flair. Because of the spicy nature of this dish, selecting the right wine is important. Spicy foods can have a very negative affect on wine, and vice versa. Stay away from Chardonnay and tannic wines. The heat from the spice will ruin the flavors of the Chardonnay, and the heat from the tacos will only be exacerbated. Avoid Cabernet and Merlot as well.


For white, which would be my first choice, I would definitely pick something with a lot of fruit, and even something "off dry" (slightly sweet). Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley would be delicious. Typically fragrant and lightly sweet, the wine is incredibly versatile and food-friendly. Vouvray is simply wonderful, and has a bit of a honeyed character. There are also an abundance of terrific, affordable Chenin Blancs from South Africa, referred to as "Steen". Mulderbosch and Simonsig are extremely affordable options. Pinot Gris would also be a great choice as well.


For red, I would look towards something simple, light and fruity. A Beaujolais would do the trick. They are nice when served with a slight chill. Georges Duboeuf and Louis Jadot are two producers whose wines are readily available in most shops, and are consistently good. Perfect summertime wine! An easy-going, inexpensive Tempranillo would also work. And if you have the time, might as well make a nice pitcher of Sangria!

a locavore meal, almost

Deborah

Locavore: one who eats foods grown locally whenever possible

Spent the afternoon with a dear friend who I have not seen in a long time, sustainable food blogger and committed locavore Mary Nelen. Mary, who writes the blog Valley Locavore,  filled me in on what is going on in her community of Northern Massachusetts where a strong DIY food ethic flourishes. She boasted of canning and preserving and shaking hands with farm animal. All very cool and admirable. We decided we would make lunch together during our visit. Mary supplied the broccoli rabe from a farmers market and I rummaged through my fridge at home to pull out some tofu (locally made!) and shitake mushrooms (I have no idea where they came from, oops) and some red quinoa I thought Mary might be interested in.
I also contributed a large handful of fresh herbs that I pulled out of my garden just before leaving the house to meet her (how much fresher can you get?)

The Upper West Side where Mary was staying was in full bloom Spring mode.

Our plan was simple, we would gab away with each other a mile a minute and give barely a fleeting thought to the meal. Kind of like cooking on auto pilot. I made the quinoa while Mary prepped the broccoli rabe.

I guess we could have used a slightly larger pan for the broccoli rabe.

The kitchen we were borrowing was minimally stocked and equipped. I did a quick sautee of the mushrooms and then the tofu which we cut into cubes. We found an onion in reasonable shape, chopped it up, sauteed it with the broccoli rabe and then threw in all the chopped herbs. The tofu and mushrooms went back into the pan and we mixed it all together.

The herbs coming up in my garden now are mint, lemon balm, sorrel, chives and oregano. I roughly chop them all together and add them to almost any dish right at the end of cooking to add freshness and depth.

We cooked the shitake mushrooms and the tofu separately, just enough to get a little brown crust for flavor and texture.

The finished dish: a mound of steamed red quinoa surrounded by the sauteed vegetables and tofu.

It was a simple, tasty, easy and healthy meal, which meant we could drink wine and not feel guilty.  What can I say, talking makes you thirsty. We drank white wine which seemed a good choice. How did we do Amanda?

Amanda
A good friend, delicious, easy lunch, and a nice bottle of wine. Sounds like a pretty great afternoon! Question - you don't blanch the broccoli rabe first? Just toss it right into the pan? I'm always in a quandry about that whenever I prepare it. I never really know when to blanch and when to just sautee. Any recommendations or thoughts on this?


Yes, I am in agreement regarding your wine choice! I think any light, crisp white would really work fine here. I wouldn't give it too much thought. Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet, Pinot Grigio - all fine, simple choices. You and Mary had set out to have a fun, easy afternoon together which does not require hemming and hawing over a wine. Just go with something fun for an occasion like this. I find that Prosecco is always a great afternoon libation to enjoy with friends, especially as the warmer weather hits. Prosecco is a staple on my block for afternoon/early evening barbeques. This light, refreshing, frizzante wine from Italy is always a huge hit.

Prosecco is made from a grape by the same name, and hails from the Veneto region of Italy. Very versatile, you can really enjoy it with a wide variety of fare. It's great for brunches, showers, and large get-togethers - it is Italy's answer to Champagne, minus the hefty pricetag. For great examples of this inexpensive sparkler, look to producers Bisol, Riondo, Caposaldo and Zardetto.


Choosing a wine should never cause stress or too much thought. Wine is best when shared with friends. As long as the "indulgers" enjoy it - that is all that matters! But I do recommend keeping a few bottles on hand as Prosecco is a great bottle to open for unexpected guests!