Wednesday, December 6, 2017
CREAMY, SEEDY TOFU "GOAT CHEESE" SPREAD
I make alot of hummus for snacks, but one day I wanted a change of pace-- a spread that is easy and fast to make, with what I had in the house. I came up with this cheese-y spread and my husband went nuts over it and some omnivore guests did, too. It is very yummy!
Ordinarily, I would have made this with extra-firm silken tofu, but I didn't have any in the house, so I used medium-firm ordinary tofu, which I pressed in my tofu press. When there was about 3/4-inch of liquid on top the the tofu, I weighed it and it weighed 12.3 ounces, exactly as much as a box of silken tofu. It worked just fine in the recipe and costs quite a bit less than silken tofu.
Ordinarily, I would have made this with extra-firm silken tofu, but I didn't have any in the house, so I used medium-firm ordinary tofu, which I pressed in my tofu press. When there was about 3/4-inch of liquid on top the the tofu, I weighed it and it weighed 12.3 ounces, exactly as much as a box of silken tofu. It worked just fine in the recipe and costs quite a bit less than silken tofu.
There are a few tofu presses on the market-- I have a Tofu Xpress, which takes a 1 lb. block of tofu:
For pressing more tofu at once, I have a small (1.6 L) inexpensive Japanese pickle press, similar to this one, which can press 700g/1.5 lbs of tofu at a time.
This is the model I have:
I know it looks flimsy, and, when I posted once about this on Facebook, people had a hard time believing that it could handle pressing tofu-- but it does just fine! I've seen a picture (which I cannot locate now) of a pile of tofu squares being pressed in a large round Japanese pickle press.
See also TOFU PRESS (Canada) OR USA Amazon link)
NOTE: If you don't have a tofu press, here's a link with three other methods to extract some of the liquid from tofu. Oh, and don't pay attention to any advice that says you can only press firm tofu. I press medium-firm tofu all the time.
See also TOFU PRESS (Canada) OR USA Amazon link)
NOTE: If you don't have a tofu press, here's a link with three other methods to extract some of the liquid from tofu. Oh, and don't pay attention to any advice that says you can only press firm tofu. I press medium-firm tofu all the time.
This is what medium-firm tofu looks like:
"Medium-firm tofu has a rougher texture than soft—curds are visible—but will still crack with handling. It can have a droopy appearance due to its moderate moisture content, and it's a good choice for dishes that don't require much manipulation, like braising or boiling. Because there is more whey in medium-firm tofu, it may break up during vigorous stir-frying, and pan-frying can lead to sad, deflated tofu planks." Photo and quote from http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/06/shopping-cooking-guide-different-tofu-types.html
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S
CREAMY, SEEDY TOFU "GOAT CHEESE" SPREAD
Servings:
6
Yield:
1 1/2 cups
This
is a
rich tasting,
nutritious and inexpensive
spread, enjoyed by vegans and visiting omnivores alike. It's even
better after refrigerating for a day or two,
so you may want to double or triple the recipe.
We love it with
flat breads,
celery
sticks, rye
crisp crackers,
or
pita
crisps.
1
lb. of medium-firm tofu, pressed down to 12- 12.5 oz. and drained
OR
1 box (12.3 oz.) extra-firm SILKEN tofu
1/2
cup raw shelled sunflower seeds, soaked in boiling water for 5
minutes and well-drained
2
tablespoons raw sesame seeds, soaked with the sunflower seeds (see
line above)
OR 1 heaping tablespoon tahini
OR 1 heaping tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon light brown miso (or a little more to your liking)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or a little more to your liking)
1/2
tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
1
large clove garlic, crushed
1/2-
3/4 teaspoon salt
OPTIONALS
(1 or both):
2-3
large sun-dried tomatoes in oil, rinsed,
drained
and chopped
2
tablespoons minced chives or green onions (just the
green part)
Place
everything except
the Optionals
in a food processor and process for several minutes, or until the
mixture is VERY smooth. You may have to stop the machine and loosen
the mixture from
the outside walls of the processor bowl towards the middle with
a spatula once or twice.
If
using, pulse in the sun-dried
tomatoes and
chives briefly,
just to distribute.
Scrape into a covered container and refrigerate for
at
least 3 hours.
Nutrition
Facts
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup serving): 154 calories, 93 calories from fat, 11.3g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 305.3mg sodium, 214.7mg potassium, 6g carbohydrates, 2.2g fiber, less than 1g sugar, 10.2g protein, 4.6 points.
Enjoy!
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