When I think of summer travels and Spain, enjoying tapas while watching the sun slowly go down behind the narrow buildings of Seville is what immediately comes to mind. Distinct, decisive, passionate flavors are the shapeless images that I conjure in front of my open eyes, daydreaming as I draw with my imagination abstractions of a flamenco artist dancing on my tongue, wailing for a lost love never to be seen again. I taste lemons, parsley, saffron, and tomatoes… Tempranillo, sangria, pomegranate, and oranges. And so I travel while standing still, rocking back an forth while preparing a dish that is an ode to those days in Andalusia. The days stretching long, the heat going strong, and life standing tall.
This tapas dish showcases a lemony tofu in a rich tomato and saffron sauce. Easy to prepare and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser, this dish goes well with a side of steamed rice and a glass of tempranillo. Have it straight out of the cazuela (the traditional terracotta cookware that is dear to Mediterranean peoples’ hearts), or prepare it in advance and refrigerate if serving it the day after. Warm it up slightly and garnish with fresh parsley. And love life in all its spicy, zesty saucy-ness.
Prep Time: 40-50 min | Cook Time: 30-35 min | Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 cup plum tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh Italian oregano, leaves only
- 1 tbsp Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp of saffron
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt to taste
- 2 cups of water
- 1 lb firm tofu, firm
- 12 oz chickpeas, cooked, or canned
- 6 oz spicy soy chorizo, crumbled
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
..And the sirocco blows from the shores of northern Africa
it brings news from a not so distant land
a story, a hymn, the flavor..
Method for the Tapas
On a cutting board, slice the onion thinly. Set aside. Mince the oregano leaves and set aside with the onion.
Heat up the oil in a terracotta cazuela, or regular skillet, and sweat the onion and oregano for a couple of minutes. Season with salt, saffron, and turmeric, stir with a wooden spoon to coat, and add the crumbled chorizo. Brown over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes and coat with the tomato paste. Add the water, diced tomatoes, and bring to a simmer with the lid on. Lower the heat to a low flame and cook while you prepare the tofu.
Drain the block of tofu, cut up 4 large pieces to resemble “cod” fillets, and add it to the cazuela, along with the drained chickpeas, ensuring that the tofu is completely submerged in the tomato sauce. Slice the lemon into 1/3” thick slices, place them on top of the sauce in the cazuela, and finally scatter the parsley over the lemons and sauce. Cover with the lid and stew for 15 minutes.
Serve the tapas with steamed rice and enjoy with a glass of tempranillo.
EXTRAS AND TIPS
Depending on the vegan chorizo that you utilize, the salt in this dish might not be a required addition. Try the sauce before salting it.
For the soy chorizo, I like to use this: soyrizo.
[…] lemons, parsley, saffron, and tomatoes… Tempranillo, sangria, pomegranate, and oranges. And so I travel while standing still, rocking back an forth while preparing a dish that is an ode to those days in Andalusia. The days stretching long, the heat going strong, life standing tall.
