Veggie Planet Caesar Salad

Makes 6 servings
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This recipe comes courtesy of Didi Emmons, chef at Veggie Planet in Boston, and cookbook author. According to Didi, some people would rather eat worms than tofu and it is exactly those folks who should try this salad. Tofu makes two appearances; the croutons are cubes of tofu that have been pan-fried until they're crunchy, and the dressing is thickened with tofu. The dish requires no last minute preparation. The croutons can be made up to 3 hours before serving, the dressing up to 3 days before. The lettuce and tomatoes can be cut, washed and stored in the refrigerator up to 24 hours before serving.

At the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) annual conference, attendees sampled this salad of edamame and soy sprouts with easy tofu croutons.

TOFU CAESAR DRESSING:
3 garlic cloves, preferably large
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/4 cups cubed silken firm tofu
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

TOFU CROUTONS
8 ounces water-packed extra-firm tofu
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt to taste

SALAD
1 head romaine lettuce
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To prepare the dressing, in a food processor or blender, pureé the garlic, mustard, tofu, and lemon juice. Add the salt and pepper. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil, in a stream. Add water to thin, if desired. To prepare the croutons, press the tofu with a paper towel. Cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. In a large skillet, heat the oil over memium-high heat. When the oil is really hot add the tofu carefully and salt it liberally. Fry the cubes of tofu undisturbed until they form a dark golden crust on all sides about 5 minutes. Drain well on paper towels. Keep the croutons at room temperature and 15 minutes before serving put them in a warm oven (220 degrees) for up to 3 hours if desired. To prepare salad, cut across the romaine in 2-inch strips, discarding the core. When ready to serve, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, olives and croutons in a large bowl. Add the cheese and the dressing, tossing well with tongs or spoons. Serve immediately.

Calories 545 (41% from fat); Fat 25 g (sat 7.6 g, mono 9.1 g, poly 6.2 g);
Protein 12 g; Carbohydrate 12.7 g, Fiber 2.8g; Cholesterol 6 mg, Iron 1.4 mg;
Sodium 949 mg; Calcium 20 mg

*go to www.soy7.com for information on where to buy.

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