Baked Tofu Melt with Red Peppers and Greens

It turns out I had completely forgotten about hot sandwiches. That is, until last night, when I enjoyed the most amazing marinated tempeh sandwich of my life at Angelicas! Four slices of tempeh were marinated, baked and arranged onto chunks of crusty baguette, smothered in sauteed mushrooms and gravy and loaded with red cabbage kraut. Served with a mound of mashed potatoes and a pile of wilty spinach, this plate was a completely perfect introduction to the savory, complex, and rich flavors of our much-loved holiday cuisine.

Reunited with my love for messy open-faced sandwiches, I browsed through the creations of yore to find this tofu melt made earlier this year. Marinated tofu was baked while greens were sauteed with garlic, onions, and red peppers. The layers were then assembled on a home-made halved baguette, topped with daiya mozzarella, and placed in the oven until the "cheese" was melted to perfection.

Marinated Tofu
3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
1/2 onion (diced finely)
1/3 c. soy sauce
pinch of sugar or squeeze of agave
splash of lemon or lime
1 Tbs. olive oil
lots of freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. extra-firm tofu (sliced)

Drain and press the tofu. Slice into desired thickness and arrange in a shallow dish. Mix all of the marinate ingredients together and pour over the tofu slices. Let the slabs marinate for a half an hour or more, flipping to make sure the slices are completely marinated. Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes, flipping once.

See another recipe for baked tofu here- Fire Escape Sandwich

Enjoy!
NRG