Dining Services

Chef Chuck Friedhoff's Award-Winning Tofu Recipe

Lemongrass-brined loin of tofu, stuffed with a mousseline of carrot accompanied by mushroom-quinoa pilaf in a savory crepe with Swiss chard, butternut squash, and sesame vinaigrette

Lemongrass Brine
3 cups water
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup honey
1 lemongrass stalk (bruised)
1 pound extra-firm tofu

1) In a non reactive sauce pot bring water, salt, soy sauce, honey and lemongrass to a boil. 

2) Cool to less than 40 degrees.

3) Submerge tofu in brine and let sit overnight.

Carrot-Mousseline-Stuffed Tofu
½ cup brunoise of carrot (make julienne slices of carrots, then turn 90 degrees and julienne again, forming tiny cubes) (reserve carrot scraps for juice)
4 oz. tofu (minced)
½ cup fresh carrot juice
½ cup vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. sherry
2 Tbsp. wheat germ
2 Tbsp. textured vegetable protein (ground)
1 egg white
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. butter

1) Remove tofu from brine.  Discard brine

2) Cut tofu in half lengthwise.

3) Using an apple corer, remove the middle 2 oz of tofu.

4) In a nonstick pan, toast tofu. 

5) When slightly caramelized, deglaze with carrot juice, vegetable stock, and sherry, and reduce until au sec.

6) Combine wheat germ and textured vegetable protein, add to sauté pan. 

7) Set aside to cool.

8) Using a food processor, combine all ingredients to form mousse.

9) In a sauté pan, cook a small amount of mouse for tasting. 

10) Adjust seasoning. 

11) Place mousseline in a pastry bag with a straight tip. 

12) Pipe mixture into tofu and reserve remaining mousseline. 

13) Cover, label and date loins of tofu, as well as a container holding left over filling.

14) Just before service slice each tofu loin in to 6 equal size cutlets (12 total, 3 per portion). Sauté in butter.

Shitake Mushroom and Quinoa Pilaf
4 cups mushroom stock
2 cups quinoa
1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced
¼ tsp. olive oil
1 oz. shallot
1 oz. garlic
1 oz. fresh thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 pieces rice paper
2 cups warm mushroom stock

1) Bring stock to a rolling boil. 

2) Add quinoa. 

3) Adjust heat to a slow simmer and cook 15 minutes.

4) Sauté mushroom, garlic, and shallot in olive. 

5) Reserve and combine with cooked quinoa. 

6) Season to taste. 

7) Fold in thyme.

8) Just before plating, soften rice paper in warm stock.

9) When pliable, remove from liquid.

10) Roll each portion of quinoa in each piece of rice paper.