Cheddar Tofu Recipes

VEGAN " SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE"

Steps:

• Begin by combining the agar and tap water in a small sauce pan.
• Heat over a medium flame, stirring often.
• When the mixture boils, reduce the heat a bit.
• Allow the agar to boil gently for 5 minutes.
• Stir often to prevent burning and to make sure that all of the agar dissolves.
• Meanwhile, measure all of the other ingredients into a blender container.
• When the agar is finished boiling, carefully pour it into the blender container.
• Place the lid on the blender and whizz it on high for about a minute.
• Stop, scrape down the sides, replace the lid and whizz again, for about another minute.
• The mixture should be very smooth and the same orange color as dairy cheddar.
• Pour the mixture into a small, lightly oiled loaf pan.
• The pan I use is about 3 by 7 inches.
• Place the pan in the refrigerator and allow it to chill until firm.

THE BEST CRISPY TOFU

Steps:

• Wrap the tofu in a clean dish towel and place on top of a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place a heavy pan on top of the tofu and let it sit for 5 minutes to release as much moisture as possible. Unwrap the tofu and slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick by 1 1/2-inch-wide planks.
• Whisk the soy sauce, lime juice, agave syrup, scallion whites and sriracha together in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the panko, sesame seeds, cornstarch, garlic salt, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper in a pie dish or shallow bowl. Press the tofu planks into the panko mixture to coat on all sides.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the tofu with a metal spatula and continue cooking undisturbed until a deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a platter.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the soy-sauce mixture to the pan. Cook until bubbling and slightly thicker, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the tofu planks and sprinkle with the scallion greens.

CHEDDAR TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C). Set a 9-inch square Pyrex baking dish in the oven to warm. (Warming the dish will prevent the hot Cheddar mixture from seizing when it is poured into the dish.)
• Put the milk and the cheese in a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer, pressing gently on the solids to extract the milk from the solids. Discard the solids. Weigh out 385 grams of Cheddar milk. Discard any extra.
• Put the Cheddar milk, tofu, and salt in a blender. Puree the mixture until it is silky-smooth. While the blender is running, sprinkle both gellans into the vortex to evenly disperse the hydrocolloids. This will take about 30 seconds.
• Pour the gellan mixture into a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Continue to cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it reaches 194°F (90°C). At this temperature the gellan will be fully hydrated.
• Quickly pour the mixture into the warmed baking dish. Pour the liquid as quickly as you can without splashing, keeping the flow as smooth and even as possible because the gellan sets rapidly once removed from the heat. Set the baking dish on the counter and let the Cheddar tofu cool in the dish.
• When the tofu is cold, remove it from the dish and trim off any rounded edges. Cut it into 1/2-inch (1.25-centimeter) cubes and reserve on a baking sheet in the refrigerator until ready to use. It can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

CRISPY TOFU FINGERS

Steps:

• Coat a cookie sheet with oil.
• Slice tofu lengthwise, about 1/4 inch thick, and pat dry.
• Put the sauce into a dish, and dip each piece of tofu into the sauce, coating it well (I used barbecue sauce, and it was tasty).
• Place the tofu on the cookie sheet in a single layer (Pieces can be touching, but should not overlap).
• Sprinkle on desired seasoning.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how crispy you like it.
• Some people like it very chewy, while others prefer it when it's still soft.