How about replacing cod with ‘tofulhau’ at Easter? – 03/30/2023 – Terra Vegana

I confess: on the cod dish, I always liked the potatoes better. And the onions. And come on, the eggs. I never found much fun in the fish itself —hidden among the side dishes—, which my family prepared only once a year, on the occasion of Easter lunch.

Interestingly, on my first Easter in Portugal, I was notified by my students that, in Portuguese lands, it is not really a tradition to eat cod on that date. I thought of teaching them a vegan version of cod baked with potatoes, onions, olives and eggs; they laughed and said that I would have to think of a vegan version of lamb (sheep) or roast kid, these, yes, much more present from north to south of Portugal on Easter Sunday.

Talking about fish does not suit this Vegan Earth, but before moving on to our Easter recipe, I must say that I was surprised by the countless cod recipes I found in Portugal. The one we usually serve at Easter —with eggs and potatoes— is codfish à Gomes de Sá, but there is also codfish à Brás (shredded, with straw potatoes), codfish à Zé do Pipo (gratin with mashed potatoes) , codfish à lagareiro (baked in slices with potatoes and usually accompanied by boiled spinach)… and the list goes on and on.

Today’s recipe is a retelling of cod with cream. In the traditional version, the potatoes are cut into cubes and then fried and the cod is shredded and then confit (slowly cooked in oil). Put everything together in a baking dish and cover it with a thick sauce based on cream —or cream.

In our vegan version, codfish will be replaced by tofu — I ask the vote of confidence from those who read it, as the marinade will transform it into a gentle reminder of the sea. And the potatoes will be baked instead of fried.

The biggest asset of this recipe is the vegan “cream”. Even if you don’t make the whole recipe, save the cream recipe for the day when you prepare pasta or when you want a lighter, 100% vegetable option of cream for gratin.

You know that little sunflower seed that even reminds you of birdseed? Let’s cook it and turn it into cream! It is impossible to understand rationally how a seed can be transformed into a dense, tasty sauce that leaves nothing to be desired for cream. The kitchen has its alchemy. It is make to believe.

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TOFULHAU WITH CREAM

Ingredients

For the tofu marinade

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 nori seaweed sheet

¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

3 tablespoons of soy sauce

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 ½ tablespoon olive oil

for tofulhau

400g firm tofu

2 medium onions

1 kg of potatoes

Olive oil, salt and black pepper, as needed

For the sunflower cream

250 g of sunflower seeds

1 medium onion

3 cloves of garlic

600 ml water

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 bay leaf

Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

1 ½ teaspoon of salt

1 ½ teaspoon dijon mustard

To finish: ground cashew nuts

Preparation

Tofulhau

1. Cut the nori seaweed into strips. Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut the tofu into 1cm by 1cm cubes and place in the bowl. Mix and set aside for two hours. This step can be done the day before, just store the tofu in the fridge.

2. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and set aside a baking sheet (20 to 25 cm). Cut the potatoes into 1cm by 1cm cubes. Season with oil, salt and pepper. Spread the cubes on the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until the cubes are lightly browned. Reserve.

3. Cut the onions into thin strips and sauté with oil and salt. Before the onion is golden, add the marinated tofu cubes and sauté until golden. Reserve.

cream

1. Place the sunflower seeds in a pan and cover with water four fingers above the level of the seeds. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to the blender.

2. Chop the onion and garlic coarsely. Light to braise with the bay leaf, nutmeg and salt until golden. Remove the bay leaf and add the braised in the blender. Add 600 ml of water and whisk until you get a homogeneous and dense sauce. Reserve.

Assembly

1. Pour ⅓ of the sauce over the roast potatoes. Then add the tofu over the sauce. Cover with the rest of the sauce and spread well with the help of a spatula.

2. Sprinkle ground cashew nuts over the sauce and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 190 degrees for 20 minutes, with heat on the bottom and top plates of the oven, to brown. Serve the tofulhau with a green salad and enjoy!

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