Our Veggie Kitchen

I talk a lot in my blog about the textures of foods. In talking to others, I've come to believe that I put a greater emphasis on texture, in part, because I have a limited sense of smell (and presumably taste). I bring this tidbit up because I deemed this sauce complete only when the texture suited me. It has a great Marsala flavor, but the sauce is creamy and buttery and feels delicious on the tongue.



Fettuccine in a Creamy Marsala Sauce

1 lb fettuccine, linguine or similar pasta
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup water
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1 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbs fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp black pepper corns
1/2 cup parsley
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups dry Marsala wine
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1 cup water
1/2 cup soy creamer
3 tbs Earth Balance Margarine

Add the dried mushrooms to 1 cup water. Microwave for a minute and let sit until needed. Meanwhile, saute the shallots and garlic, stirring frequently, just until the shallots are softened. Be sure not to burn the garlic. Add the tomato paste and stir until the paste darkens a bit, just a couple minutes. Add the wine, mushrooms in water and the sage, parsley, peppercorns, and sugar. Bring to a rolling boil and cook until the sauce reduces by half, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water until it becomes soft and pliable, but not fully cooked. Strain, and set aside.

Pour the sauce through a strainer. Then pour another cup of water through the strainer to capture any sauce clinging to the mushrooms/shallots etc. Bring back to a boil. Add the soy creamer and margarine. Bring back to a rolling boil. Add the undercooked pasta and cook in the boiling sauce until the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened, about 5 more minutes.

4 Servings: 702 cal (16g fat, 101g carbs, 17g protein)

Chicken Marsala used to be a staple comfort food. And, although I've used Marsala in sauces, I haven't made the mushroom-laden Marsala sauce since I went veg. I'm not sure why, though, because Chicken Marsala has always been a lot more about the sauce than what you pour over it. Here's a recipe for a faintly lemony fried tofu and a sweet and tangy Marsala sauce. Once again, I am comforted.



Tofu Marsala
Tofu:
1 lb tofu, drained
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup rice flour (or more flour)
1 small lemon, zested
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup parsley
oil for frying
Sauce:
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 tbs tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Marsala wine (I use dry)
1/2 small lemon, juiced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
2 tbs Earth Balance

For the tofu: Pour enough oil in a large saute to coat the bottom. Heat to medium high. Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch thick slices, then cut each slice diagonally to form triangles. Mix the remaining tofu ingredients in a bowl. Working in batches, if necessary, coat each tofu slice in the seasoned flour then place into the hot saute pan. Turn each slice when it browns and begins to crisp. Remove and set on a plate. If working in batches, place cooked tofu in an oven preheated to 200 degrees.

For the Sauce: Saute the onions and sliced mushrooms in oil until the mushrooms have given up most of their moisture. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant. Add the Marsala wine and cook until the sauce has thickened to a syrup consistency. You will be able to scrape the sauce pan with a wooden spoon and the sauce will ooze back to fill where you scraped. Remove from the heat and stir in the earth balance, then add the lemon juice and parsley and stir again.

Plate the tofu and pour the sauce over each slice.

Note: I started frying the first of two batches of tofu, then started the sauce and each finished at about the same time.

4 Servings: 271 cal (23g fat, 17g carbs, 10g protein)

I hate canned cranberry sauce. It jiggles unnaturally, tastes tinny and it's got to have something awful in it, like gelatin or, maybe cement. The stuff is so nasty that it turned me off on all cranberry sauce. This year, I decided to give cranberry sauce another shot. And I'm glad I did. This sauce is a little sweet, plenty tart and, when chilled, it firms up just enough, perfect for a faux-turkey sandwich.



Cranberry Sauce
12 oz cranberries, picked over
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup Marsala Wine
1 tsp orange zest (about 1 orange)
1 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
5 whole cloves

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have burst, about 20 minutes. Fish out the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves (if you can find them). Serve warm or chill for later. Makes about 3 cups.

I couldn't find the cloves at all. I don't know if they broke apart, dissolved, or if someone ate a clove without noticing. Can you do that??

6 Servings: 167 cal (0g fat, 39g carbs, 0g protein)