The last thing
you are probably pining for this very moment is a warm plate of ... tofu. But seeing these narrow
bodies neatly lined up in rows made sharing this recipe hard to
resist.
Save a
pig. Eat a soybean. The
slogan still needs work. Luckily, the tofu does not.
This idea is
inspired by the ever-enchanting site, 101
Cookbooks. The original recipe was for a “TLT,” a take on the
beloved classic BLT. It featured tempeh though, which—try as I might—I
just cannot endorse. Tempeh and I are not friendly. So I’ve been
making the sandwich with tofu ever since.
The thin strips
soak in a marinade that is meant to recall an essence of bacon. If you
really want a BLT, you had better use swine. But the liquid, which is
smoky and a little spicy from the chipotle, sweet from the maple, and salty
from the tamari, can easily hold its own.
Thus, if you
welcome the TLT as a singular entity, it makes a wonderful
vegetarian-friendly counterpoint, employing the usual sidekicks: lettuce,
tomato, and mayo. The sandwich itself is not far off from the soy BLT
MIT-based Clover
Food Lab sells. Their mantra being, local fast food done a la
vegetarian.
I’ve used the Clover menu for inspiration on more than
one occasion by tucking TLT components into a pita, roasting up some shoestring
rosemary fries, and downing a pint of Pretty
Things Beer and Ale Project’s Jack D’or. The tofu,
native. The beer, home-based in Somerville. And the meal, made in
my kitchen. A local fast food feast all its own.
So, perhaps,
save a BLT. Eat a TLT. It is not meant as a substitute for the
adored piggy classic. But it makes a t.asty l.ittle t.ofu sandwich all
its own.
TLT Tofu
Inspired by 101 Cookbooks
Ingredients:
1½ tbsp olive
oil (plus more for the pan)
¼ cup tamari
(soy sauce)
2 tbsp balsamic
vinegar
2 tbsp brown
sugar or maple syrup
4-5 tbsp adobo
sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers)
about 14 ounces
firm or extra firm tofu (1 block)
Instructions:
In a
rectangular baking dish, mix together the oil, tamari, vinegar, brown sugar (or
maple) and adobo sauce. (Use less adobo if you don't like spice.) Slice
the tofu into 4-5 rectangular slabs and then slice each slab into 3 pieces
lengthwise, so you get long strips. Lay the strips into the baking dish
with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap, and let marinate in the fridge
overnight.
Heat a medium
sauté pan on medium to medium-high heat and add a glug of oil to the pan.
Add half the tofu (or all of it, depending on the size of your pan) and half
the marinade to the hot pan. Cook the tofu for about 5-7 minutes, or
until the tofu starts to gather color on its underside; flip the tofu and cook
until fairly firm to the touch (about 10 minutes in total). If the tofu
starts to burn, turn the heat down. Wipe down the pan and repeat the
process, if cooking in two batches.
Makes 12-15
strips
Notes:
- For the
sandwich: I don’t need to tell you, you know how to make a BLT. Use your
favorite bread with tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo. Sometimes I put a little
lemon zest in the mayo. I like the TLT either on a brioche bun (if you’re
feeling it, see here for
a recipe) or in a pita (see here for a recipe).
-21st Century
Tofu and Chang Shing Tofu
are two local brands.
-The original
recipe uses oven-dried tomatoes, which is brilliant in winter. However, I
found the sandwich too cloying for me, too one-notey. It needed some
brightness and the fresh tomatoes provided that.
-The sauce has
a tendency to burn on you, so be sure to watch it and turn down the heat (or
add a little more sauce to the pan) if needed.
-I like tamari
(made solely from soybeans), so that’s the sauce I stock.
-Clover Food
Lab now has food trucks and standalone units in Cambridge and Boston. I
like their restaurant in Harvard Square. They have colored drawings done
in crayon or marker tacked up on the walls and a vine growing up the back of
their indoor space. They also have beer.
-Please note:
the BLT is one of my favorite sandwiches on earth. I love pig. But
I also eat soy. There. I said it. I feel better now.
