Sesame-Shiitake Tofu Frittata Recipe

Sesame-Shiitake Tofu Frittata

from Vegan Family Meals by Ann Gentry

FRITTATA:

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms (about 5 ounces), stemmed and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchstick-size strips
6 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons tamari
1 (14-ounce) container water-packed firm tofu, drained
1/2 cup garbanzo-fava flour or whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon arrowroot
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups plain unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

Asparagus:

13 ounces fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

This and many other wonderful recipes may be found in Ann Gentry's's
Vegan Family Meals

This breakfast dish reminds me of okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake. Its long name means something along the lines of "cook what you like. "You can take that to mean that variations on the vegetables in the dish are welcome and encouraged. The first time I ate this savory pancake, it was made with noodles and vegetables in the batter, and I doused it with soy sauce, not maple syrup. When I started making this pancake at home, I found my version to be thick, so I treated it like a frittata - starting it on the stovetop and finishing it in the oven. You can use dried shiitake mushrooms in place of the fresh ones: Pour enough boiling water over 8 dried mushrooms to cover them, and let them steep for 30 minutes, or until they soften. Drain and then proceed the same way you would if using fresh mushrooms.

Frittata: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the sesame oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, carrots, scallions, one-half of the minced garlic, and the sesame seeds and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the carrots are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tamari. Set aside.

Blend the tofu, flour, nutritional yeast, arrowroot, salt, turmeric, pepper, and the remaining minced garlic in a food processor until the mixture is smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the soy milk and the 2 tablespoons oil. Process until the mixture is smooth and thick like yogurt.

Heat a heavy 9 1/2 to l0 1/2 inch nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Spray the pan with nonstick olive oil spray, then spoon half of the mushroom mixture into the pan. Pour the tofu mixture over the mushroom mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining mushroom mixture. Cover and cook until the tofu mixture begins to simmer in the center. Decrease the heat to low and continue cooking until the tofu mixture is set around the outer 1/2-inch edge of the pan, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake, uncovered, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with some tofu mixture attached, about 45 minutes. Set the frittata aside to cool for 10 minutes. (Keep the oven hot for roasting the asparagus.) Alternatively, you can use a 12-inch nonstick saute pan and bake the frittata until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Asparagus: Place the asparagus on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast the asparagus until it is crisp-tender, turning once, about 10 minutes.

Top the frittata with the roasted asparagus and serve.