Tofu Sofritas

We’re always looking for new ways to prepare tofu. It’s like a blank slate…  willing and able to take on whatever flavors you impart.  We generally pick Asian flavors to pair with tofu like this Tofu Pad Thai or Baked Tofu & Broccoli, but tonight I felt like Mexican

Tofu seasoned with deep, smoky spices combined with roasted poblano peppers and chilis in adobo with melty cheese and fresh toppings… mmmmm.  The sauce is the boss and gives the tofu an amazing flavor

I’m using 2 extra firm blocks of tofu.  I want to get out as much of the liquid as possible so I’m going to slice in half lengthwise before I press

Place on a wire rack to drain over a sheet pan.  To quicken the process, I cover with a glass pan and weigh down with a couple of heavy cans. Or in this case, I have a cute little sugar pumpkin on my table that will help me out.    Let the tofu drain for at least an hour

Once the tofu has drained, cut into small cubes and place in a bowl

Roast 2 poblano peppers either over the flame on your stovetop or in the oven , flipping occasionally

This should take around 8 – 10 minutes to char the skin.  To make peeling the skin off easier after they’re cooked, I place in a glass bowl with a lid for about 15 minutes.

Let’s measure out the laundry list of spices

You’ll need paprika, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, kosher salt and black pepper.  Did I forget anything???

Add the spices to the bowl with the cubed tofu and toss well

Heat a large pan and melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.  I’m on a coconut oil kick.  You can use canola oil if you’d like

Add in the tofu.  It doesn’t matter if it’s in a single layer, you’re going to move the tofu around in the pan to break it up and saute it evenly.  It should take about 15 minutes on medium heat to brown the tofu nicely

Let’s get back to those poblanos.  They’re cool enough to touch at this point so remove the skin with a paper towel.  Take out the stem and seeds and cut in half

 Let’s get working on our sauce

Add the poblanos along with 2 tomatoes, 1 onion, 1/4 cup of cilantro, 2 teaspoons of blended chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 teaspoons of honey, 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 3 garlic cloves to a food processor and puree

Just. smell. that. oh. my.

Note – as soon as we open a can of chipotles in adobo, we blend the contents until smooth and store in the fridge in a mason jar.  This puree is great to add to mayo for sandwiches, add to ketchup for burgers, etc.  But I digress…

Remove the tofu from the pan and pour in the delicious sauce you just blended up

Heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce begins to lightly bubble.  Add the tofu back in  and saute for another 10 – 12 minutes

Cook white rice according to package instructions, season with black pepper & kosher salt and add in 1/2 fresh lime juice and some chopped fresh cilantro.  This adds another layer of flavor to the meal

Now let’s decide how to serve this.  We like to serve on a bed of seasoned rice with manchego cheese, avocado, cilantro, fresh tomatoes and lime but you can let your imagination run wild!

What is manchego??

Manchego is a sheep’s milk Spanish cheese that is mild in flavor, but has a rich taste.  It’s reminiscent of a nutty parmesan and is well worthy trying if your grocery store has it available

If not, shredded cheddar, monterey jack or any good melty cheese will work well for this

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Enjoy!

Tools used to make this recipe

Simply Bamboo Maui Bamboo Cutting Board

Baker’s Secret Cooling Rack, 10″ X 16″

Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 2-Quart Covered Saucepan

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