Nutty Crusted Tofu, Mediterranean Israeli Couscous Pilaf, Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Israeli Couscous!

Israeli couscous, also called pearl couscous, is similar to regular couscous in that it’s actually not a grain, (although many people think so), but a pasta, as it’s made from from semolina or wheat flour. It has a slightly chewy texture, similar to barley, and is toasted so has a slightly nutty flavour. It cooks quickly, in about 10 minutes so is useful to have on hand.

It’s not something I use often but it works great in hearty salads and you can use it to make a risotto-like dish etc. I also stumbled across this innovative breakfast recipe from Janet at The Taste Space for Israeli Couscous with Almonds and Coconut. How good does that sound?

This time I decided on a simple pilaf with bold Mediterranean flavours- slow-roasted tomatoes, black olives, capers and plenty of fresh parsley. It’s a cinch to put together and can be a meal in itself, especially if you bulk it up with some chickpeas or lentils.

I was feeling like a slightly fancier meal this particular day so added a few other components to take it to another level…

Nutty Crusted Tofu and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce! The tofu is marinated before dredging in the nutty coating so it’s packed with flavour. The red pepper sauce is a lighter variation on my Romesco sauce, sweet and rich-tasting. Along with the couscous pilaf and some greens for good measure this meal was exactly what I was hoping for.

Mediterranean Israeli Couscous Pilaf:

1/2C Israeli couscous (whole-wheat preferably)
1/2T Olive oil
1/2 Red onion, diced
1 Large clove of garlic
3/4C Water
1/2C Slow-roasted tomatoes ( I’ve been making a lot of these with all my garden tomatoes. Simply halve a load of cherry tomatoes, spread on a baking sheet cut side up, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, cook in the oven on low- 100C/210F for approx 3 hours until shrivelled and delicious!)
1/3C Black olives, halved
1T Capers, chopped if large
1-2T Chopped fresh parsley
Salt + Pepper
1/2T Lemon juice
Drizzle of olive oil (optional)

Sauté red onion in the oil in a pot over medium heat until softened. Add garlic and Israeli Couscous and continue to sauté for another minute. Add water and bring to the boil. Cook, covered, for approx 10 minutes (or follow directions on package) until water is absorbed and couscous is cooked but with a bit of bite. Stir through all the remaining ingredients and seasoning. Serve warm.

Nutty Crusted Tofu:

(Adapted from The Vegan Foodie)

1/2 400g/1lb Pkg Tofu, drained and pressed for at least 30 minutes, then cut in to 4 triangles

For the Marinade:

1 1/2T Tamari
2T Vegetable broth
1T Dijon mustard
1t Tomato paste
2T Fresh orange juice
1/2T Olive oil

Whisk together marinade ingredients, place tofu in a dish and cover with marinade for at least 1 hour

For the Crust:

1/2C Cashews (or other nuts)
3T Flour (any kind)
1t Dried Italian herbs (i.e. oregano, basil, thyme)
Dash of paprika
Salt + Pepper

Preheat oven to 200C/400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor or spice grinder jar pulse cashews until a coarse crumb. Stir in other ingredients.

Dip the marinated tofu triangles in the crust mixture to coat on all sides and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, carefully turn over and bake a further 10-15 minutes until golden brown. You can also place them under the broiler/grill for a couple of minutes to get it crispier.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:

2 Medium red peppers
1 Large clove of garlic
1-2T Vegetable broth
1T Olive oil
1/2t Agave nectar
1t Red wine vinegar
Large pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

To Serve: Top pilaf with nutty crusted tofu and add a generous drizzle of the red pepper sauce to the plate. I served it all over some steamed kale.

Hmmm, looking through my instructions I’ve probably made this meal sound really complicated, but honestly there’s nothing difficult about it, just quite a lot of steps.

Each of the components is tasty on its own though so feel free to mix and match. Simply serve the pilaf on its own as I suggested above, have the nutty crusted tofu just alongside a grain and greens and some marinara  or whatever sauce you have on hand, make only the roasted red pepper sauce and smear on anything and everything!

Serves 2 (with leftover pilaf + sauce)

I’m submitting this recipe to Wellness Weekends