Tofu Turkey

About

This tofu turkey looks wonderful piping hot out of the oven! When I tested this recipe I made half the amount and also added a tablespoon each of Tamari and oil in the mashed tofu. Please see my suggestions below for other ways to improve on this recipe.

Yield: 8 – 12 servings

Ingredients

For optimal results, blend a firm Chinese style tofu with a smaller portion of Japanese style, such as Mori-Nu Firm.

Directions

1. Mash tofu well.
2. Line an 11″ colander with a single layer of moistened cheesecloth. Transfer tofu to colander. Press tofu to flatten, and fold edges of cheesecloth over it. Place a cake tin or other flat object over the surface of the tofu and weigh it down with a heavy object (about 5 lbs) to press the liquid from the tofu.
3. After the tofu has drained for 1 hour, hollow out to within 1 inch of the colander. Fill the cavity with your favourite stuffing. Pack in stuffing and cover with the remaining tofu. Pat down so surface is flat and firm.
4. Oil a roast or turkey pan. Place pan over colander, and flip over so that flat surface of filled tofu faces down. Remove cheesecloth.
5. Mix sesame oil and soy sauce to use as a basting liquid. Baste tofu with liquid.
6. Bake covered at 400 degrees F. for 1 hour. Remove cover, baste, and return to oven to bake uncovered until top becomes golden brown, about one hour more.
7. Baste again at least once during remaining cooking time.

Helpful Hints

1. You may want to cut the recipe in half unless you are feeding a hoard! With all the other side dishes at your holiday meal, this recipe as it stands could easily serve 12.
2. Consider using a blender or food processor to mash the tofu. It will give the ball a better consistency and will help it hold shape.
3. Marinating the mashed tofu overnight with herbs, onions and garlic complementing the stuffing would greatly enhance the flavour.
4. I would also recommend draining the tofu overnight using weight and pressure to extract as much of the water as possible. This will result in a better texture and consistency.
5. Use a non-stick pan so the tofu ball stays whole; otherwise it may be difficult to lift out of the pan without it breaking apart.

Editor’s Notes

1. Whether or not this recipe is wheat or gluten free depends on the type of stuffing you choose.
2. This recipe was tested using Dorothy’s famous wild rice stuffing.