Stuffed Tofu-Turkey

Vegetarian Times Issue: November 1, 2005   p.10

Directions

The night before:

1. Let 3 tubs of tofu come to room temperature. Squeeze tofu into small bits with your hands, mixing in thyme, sage and onion powder as you squeeze. This is fun. Good job for kids.

2. Wet cheesecloth, wring it out and smoothly line colander with it—no wrinkles. Dump in the crumbled tofu, and press it into sides and bottom of colander, making a bowl within a bowl. The “tofu bowl” should be about 1-inch thick and almost reach the top of the colander.

3. Hunt around, and find a bowl that will fit perfectly inside the tofu bowl. Gently press it into the colander. It will make an expressive sound. Dig through your pantry, and find something heavy (can of peaches?) to press the bowl into the tofu bowl to help tofu drain.

4. Tuck corners of cheesecloth over top of tofu to keep edges from drying out. Stand the colander/cheesecloth/tofu/bowl/weight construction in a dish to catch liquid. Refrigerate overnight.

The day of:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Remove weight and bowl from colander. Fill tofu hollow with stuffing. Crumble remaining tofu, and use to cover stuffing, pressing flat to edges of colander.

3. Find a large oven-to-table baking dish. Place dish over colander. Hold tightly, invoke the spirit of good cooks, and invert colander so tofu-turkey drops gently onto dish. Peel off cheesecloth to reveal, uh, half a big, white basketball.

4. Combine tamari, olive oil and sesame oil in bowl, and baste tofu-turkey with brush. (Now it’s a big golden-brown basketball. Much better.) Bake 15 minutes. Baste again. Reduce oven to 350F, and bake 1 hour, basting as inspired.

5. To serve, cut once across the middle and then into slabs about 1 & 1/2-inches thick. The turkeys thank you!