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I am not a vegetarian, but I have several family members who are. For them and my many readers who are also vegetarians, I created this page on how to cook tofurky.
According to the Turtle Island Foods of Hood River, OR (the manufacturers of Tofurky), the product is a 100% vegan roast made out of tofu and vital wheat gluten which is combined with seasonings which is pre-cooked. The tofurky roast is roughly the size of a small ham or turkey loaf. Just like you would cook a turkey, you put it in a roasting pan with the basting of your choice for moisture and flavor. I slightly adapted and added to the cooking instructions available on the tofurky box. For more great Vegetarian Recipes, check out my Vegetarian Recipe Index. Also check out my Nutritional Chart for fat grams, fiber grams, and calories for all your favorite foods. Tofurky (Tofurkey) - How To Cook Tofurky:
1 stuffed Tofurky Roast NOTE: Add as many vegetable as you desire. Be creative and add different types of vegetables.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. When Tofurky is thawed and you are ready to cook, carefully remove plastic casing using sharp scissor or sharp knife. Remove roast from plastic casing. Place roast either in a tightly covered casserole dish, or wrap with aluminum foil with the desired prepared vegetables. You can use organic vegetable or mushroom broth/stock for basting. Some other ideas/options for basting liquid below (be creative):
Thoroughly cover the roast and vegetables with 1/2 of the basting liquid. Either cover your casserole dish tightly or wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Bake approximately 2 hours or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of at least 120 degrees F. During the baking time, I recommend that you baste every 30 minutes to keep the roast moist. Remove from oven. To serve, slice the Tofuky roast into 1/4-inch slices using a serrated bred knife. Serve with the prepared vegetables and the Vegan Gravy.
Makes 6 (4-ounce) servings. Vegan Gravy - How To Make Vegan Gravy:
After the tokurky and vegetables are done cooking, remove them from the baking pan or aluminum foil, being careful that you don't lose any of the excess juices; set them aside. In the baking pan or a large saucepan over medium heat, heat until the juices are bubbling. If you don't have enough juices left, add some vegetable broth to equal 2 cups. Add the 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the juices. In a separate container with a lid, shake together the flour and about 2 cups cool water. This is called a slurry. Adding the thickener (flour) in this way helps to prevent lumps from forming.
Once the
juices/drippings in the tofurky baking pan are lightly bubbling, slowly add the slurry mixture to
the gravy pan, stirring constantly. If it starts to thicken immediately,
stop adding the remaining slurry, you may not need to use the whole amount
depending on how much or little drippings were in the pan. If lumps do
develop, you should be able to use a wire whisk to remove them. Simmer gently about 10 minutes to cook the flour
all the way through (undercooked flour gives off a raw taste). Season to
taste with salt and pepper.
Tips for a dark-colored gravy: If you brown the flour well before adding the liquid when making gravy,
you will avoid pale or lumpy gravy.
You can also make dark gravy with unbrowned flour by making a dark roux.
A roux is a thickener made from equal amounts of fat and flour. Heat the fat, add the flour, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the roux becomes a deep brown. When making gravy with the roux, it will not thicken as well, so you will need more of it.
If all the above tips fail in getting your gravy to brown to a rich
color or you just want a quick and easy solution, add 1/8 teaspoon instant coffee granules and stir to blend.
Makes 2 cups Vegan Gravy.
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