Grilled Tofu Tacos With Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw And Optional Chicken Recipes

GRILLED TOFU TACOS WITH WALLA WALLA SWEET ONION SLAW (AND OPTIONAL CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Press tofu to drain. I place each block on a dinner plate on top of a layer of paper towels, then place more paper towels on top. Then I put 3-4 dinner plates on top and let it press down on the tofu for 20-30 minutes. Slice tofu into 6-7 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a zipper bag or container with airtight cover. If using chicken, add chicken to a zipper bag.
• Make the marinade. Add all marinade ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Pour marinade over tofu and/or chicken. If using half tofu/half chicken, just evenly divide the marinade between the two. Place in refrigerator and marinate for 2 hours.
• Heat grill to medium-high, about 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook tofu and/or chicken until browned and cooked through, 10-14 minutes. We only have one grill, so we always use the left side for my vegetarian stuff, and the right side for the meaty stuff. Remove tofu and/or meat from grill and let cool enough to cut into taco-size pieces (I just cut the tofu pieces in half).
• Place the tortillas on the grill and heat until slightly browned and heated through, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Keep on a plate covered by a damp dishtowel until ready to serve.
• While the tofu/meat and tortillas are cooking, make the slaw. In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients with salad tongs or your clean hands. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
• To assemble tacos, grab a tortilla and lay one or two avocado slices on the bottom. Top with a coulple pieces of tofu or chicken, and top with slaw. Serve.

PERFECT GRILLED TOFU

Steps:

• Wrap tofu in a clean dish towel and weight it with something heavy such as a large can; leave it to drain for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together remaining ingredients in a bowl.
• Cut each piece of tofu crosswise into 6 thick slices and put it all in a baking dish. Pour marinade over tofu, turning to coat, and chill, covered, turning occasionally, at least 30 minutes or up to 48 hours. Longer is better, but shorter is totally fine.
• Preheat a gas grill on high heat (450 degrees F to 650 degrees F) 10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium (325 degrees F to 375 degrees F)--or do whatever the equivalent is if you're using charcoal. Oil grate.
• Transfer tofu from marinade (letting excess drip off and reserving marinade) to grill with a spatula. Cover grill and cook tofu, turning once, until well browned but before grill marks get black, 10 to 15 minutes total. Transfer tofu to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Bring reserved marinade to a boil in a saucepan and boil until it reduces to about 1 cup, about 2 minutes. Pour over tofu and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

GRILLED SMOKY TOFU TACOS WITH PEACH CUCUMBER SALSA

Steps:

• For the tofu: Sandwich each piece of tofu between 2 sheets of paper towels and place on a plate. Top with a second plate and weigh the plate down with a can or a heavy book to press any liquid out of the tofu. Set aside, changing the paper towels every 30 minutes, for 2 hours.
• For the lime sour cream: Whisk together the sour cream and lime zest and juice in a small bowl, then transfer to a squeeze bottle or container. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the salsa: Combine the peaches, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and onion in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• For the black beans: Saute the onion in the oil in a large skillet until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste. Add the beans and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to partially mash the beans. Cover to keep warm or reheat when ready to serve.
• Make the tofu: Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high.
• Cut the tofu into 1-inch-wide logs. Mix the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper together in a bowl, then sprinkle the tofu on both sides with the spice mix. Brush the tofu with a generous amount of olive oil. Oil the grill grates, then place the tofu on the grill and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• To build each taco, spoon some beans onto a tortilla. Top with the tofu and salsa. Drizzle with lime sour cream and serve immediately.
• Place the onions in a jar. Whisk the vinegars together with the sugar, salt and 1 cup water in a bowl until dissolved. Add the peppercorns. Pour over the onions and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours (see Cook's Note). Pickled onions keep about 2 weeks in the fridge.