This is a fun little recipe I got from a good friend and practitioner up in Thorndike, Maine. One of the best parts is that you can prep a lot of this dish ahead of time for a quick and satisfying main course the next day.
There was quite the debate around renaming this dish for use at the center: Tofoosh, Fishy Tofu, Tofish, Seaweed Tofu, as it was just called “Jess’s Fishy Tofu” in my cookbook from home. Luckily, Brett dug deep into his poetic imagination and delivered unto us “Tofu of the Sea,” and that name stuck.
“Tofu of the Sea” goes great with some rice, tartar sauce, fresh lemon wedges, and a seasonal veggie.
Tofu of the Sea
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Tofu
- 2 pounds extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch-thick “dominoes”
Slices a little on the thicker side yield a nice texture without drying out.
For the Marinade
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced green onion or scallion
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice; fresh is wonderful
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari or liquid aminos
- 1 tablespoon kelp powder; feel free to use some dulse too!
- 1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
For the Dredge
- 1 tablespoon kelp powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup Bob’s Gluten Free Flour; regular flour is fine too
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Mix all marinade ingredients together and add the drained tofu. It’s best to give this overnight to absorb the flavors. Three hours will suffice, and a couple of days is not too long. Just remember to turn the tofu or flip your marinating bag so all the tofu gets in the juice.
2. Prepare the dredge by mixing all the ingredients. I like a nice shallow bowl for the dredging process.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Dredge your tofu thoroughly, pressing it into the mix and getting all the edges. The residual moisture from the marinade really helps the good stuff stick.
5. Place the tofu on a baking sheet with parchment paper under it. You can just use an oiled sheet, though you might get some sticking. If you have an oil atomizer, spray the tofu with a good coat of olive oil.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes. Check after 25 minutes. You’re looking for a nice golden brown. You can flip the pieces partway through the process, or not.
Dietary note: This recipe can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free flour and tamari or liquid aminos.
