Jerk Seitan and Tofu Crab Cakes

This week has been waaaaaay less busy than last week, so I have actually had the time and energy to cook! Real meals, too, not my typical sandwich or salad! I was pretty proud :) I was feeling pretty creative and I had a lot of resources with all of the great summer produce about, so here are a couple dishes that I made this week (oh, and Steve enjoyed them too!)...

Tofu "Crab" Cakes

I took this idea from when I went with my mom to the Chicago Diner a few months ago, and it seriously turned out to be one of the best things I have ever made. seriously. I just kind of made up the recipe as I went, so the measurements may not be exact, but you can play around with amounts and make things to your taste....but if they turn out how I made them, they should be tasty, plump little cakes of yum with crispy outsides and soft insides and taste like heaven. So go for that when you are making them! I also made a vegan tartar sauce to dip them in, and I served them with some brown rice and a nice summer-y vegetable salad. My new favorite I think.

Tofu "Crab" Cakes (makes enough for about 6 or so people)
1 lb. tofu
3 cups bread crumbs
zest and juice of one lemon
2 stalks celery, finely minced
1 red bell pepper, finely minced
1 small yellow onion, finely minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pickle relish
1/2 cup hijiki, soaked in warm water for 20 min. and drained
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 Tbs Old Bay seasoning
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup Vegenaise...or more if you are me :)
2 Tbs dijon mustard
1 tsp hot sauce (I use Frank's)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and set aside.
In a large bowl, mash the tofu until all crumbled up. Add in the Vegenaise, mustard, seasonings, and breadcrumbs, then use your hands to blend everything together. Then add in all the veggies and the oil and mash everything together until completely combined and homogeneous.
Divide into 12 or so uniformly-sized balls and space evenly apart on greased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten the tops of each ball with the palm of your hand. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, flip each patty, and bake for 15 more minutes, until golden and crispy on the outside and the patties can stay together when moved. Serve with tartar sauce and make the world jealous that you are a vegan master!

**Vegan Tartar Sauce**
1 cup Vegenaise
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/3 cup pickle relish
pinch of salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and chill for 15 to 20 minutes before serving with your kick-ass faux crab cakes!

Jamaican Jerk Seitan

I made this dish because I was feeling something spicy and I had some seitan in my fridge that I needed to use up. I had also not really ever tried to make jerk before and I had always wanted to, so I guess this was a logical choice for dinner! It is pretty spicy and has just the perfect hint of sweetness to cool it off. This is just the recipe for the seitan itself, but I served it over some rice that I cooked with some coconut milk, then put it with a stir-fry of onions, carrots, broccoli, greens, steamed sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. For a pretty garnish, top it with some fruit salsa...it's sooooo good!

Jamican Jerk Seitan
(adapted from the Jamican Jerk Tempeh recipe at http://ivu.org/recipes/latinam/jamaican-jerk.html)
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 small habanero chili, seeded and minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp allspice
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
3/4 cup lime juice (can substitute apple juice, pineapple juice, etc.)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 lb. seitan, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350 F. Put all of the ingredients, except the seitan, into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour over sliced seitan in a glass casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes, until sauce has reduced and it all starts smelling really good :)
Remove from oven and serve over rice, sweet potatoes, veggies, etc.


ah! I'm sooooo glad I decided that I like cooking again!