Recipe: Tofu Chorizo Sausage

Hi again Corky,

Here's a vegetarian version.

Betsy

Author: Marina Wolf
Date: 1996/04/11
Forum: rec.food.veg.cooking

Here's a vegetarian Chorizo recipe one out of _The Best 125 Meatless Mexican
Dishes

I have never had meat chorizo, but this veggie chorizo turned out to be too
danged hot for us. If you want to try it, beware the roasting of the peppers:
the fumes almost drove us out of the house.

TOFU CHORIZO SAUSAGE

yield: 3 cups

Firm tofu - 1 pound
Dried ancho chiles - 3 large
Garlic - 4 cloves, chopped
Dried (Mexican) oregano - 1 tablespoon
Paprika - 2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Dried red chile flakes - 1/8 teaspoon
Whole cloves - 4
Cinnamon stick - 1 piece (1/4 inch)
Apple cider vinegar - 2 tablespoons
Smooth peanut butter - 2 tablespoons
Vegetable stock - 1 1/4 cups

Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices and places the slices on a clean tea
towel. Cover with another clean tea towel and place a baking sheet on top.
Place a weight (jars of beans work well) on the baking sheet so the tofu is
firmly pressed between the towels. Allow the tofu to drain in this manner for a
few hours to remove as much water as possible.

Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron griddle or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high
heat. Use your hands to tear the chiles into large pieces, discarding the stems
and seeds. Place the chile pieces on the hot griddle and toast for 1 to 2
minutes, occasionally pressing down on them with a metal spatula. They should
blister a bit and begin to lighten in color. Turn them over and toast the other
side briefly.

When the chiles are lightly toasted, place them in a food processor with the
garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin seeds, salt, chile flakes, cloves, and cinnamon
stick. Process until finely ground. Add the vinegar, peanut butter, and 1/4 cup
of the stock and puree to a smooth consistency. Add the remaining 1 cup stock
and puree briefly, then transfer the mixture to a heavy-bottomed skillet.
Crumble the tofu pieces into the skillet.

Heat over medium-high until the sauce begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to
medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, frequently stirring and scraping the
bottom and sides of the skillet with a metal spatula to incorporate any stuck
bits of tofu. The chorizo is done when the tofu has a fairly dry, crumbly
consistency. Use immediately, or store for up to a few days in a covered
container in the refrigerator.

Each cup provides:

258 Calories
18 g Carbohydrate
15 g Protein
794 mg Sodium
17 g Fat
0 mg Cholesterol
3 g Dietary fiber