Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Red and White Cauliflower Bake

I've tried various vegan cream sauces but I don't like most of them which is why I never post them on here. I think it's the nutritional yeast and the soy milk. I used to always drink Silk unsweetened plain soy, but have just switched to Silk unsweetened almond and am really enjoying it. (So much better than Almond Breeze, which I know tons of people love.) I'm hoping that in future vegan cream sauces, the almond will blend more smoothly versus standing out like the soy milk. Anyway, I made this cauliflower bake with soy milk and while I could taste the soy, it was a really nice homey dish that I'd happily eat again. I love when tomato sauce is combined with cream (or in this case tofu, cauliflower, soy milk and nutritional yeast). This photo was taken the day after, so it cut out a nice slice, but it'll be a bit of a soft (delicious) mess when you serve it hot from the oven.


Sunday night we were lucky to be invited to the Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour! Cirque is my favourite and we always go when they come to town. I haven't been to Vegas but when we go I plan on watching as many as I can. I don't have any pictures of the show but it was amazing. They did such a great job given that Cirque is usually in small tents, and the venue they had this time was huge in comparison. I tend not to share a lot about myself and my life (aside from food related things) on my blog, but I always love reading random tidbits about other people's lives on their blogs, so I'm going to try and share more than just Abby photos. We'll see how it goes! :)



Abby likes to squish herself into any boxes we leave around.


If this sounds good, you might also like:
Red and White Tortellini
Lentil Veggie Burrito Casserole
Cauliflower and Parmesan Cake
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Red and White Cauliflower Bake
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

Makes 4 servings

Simple Marinara
1/2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp dried marjoram
3/4 tsp dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes, blended
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups cauliflower, chopped small and steamed

Herbed Tofu Ricotta
1 pkg extra firm tofu, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water

White Sauce
1/4 cup Earth Balance butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp stone ground mustard
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup unsweetened plain soy milk
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper, to taste
1 cup bread crumbs (I toast whole grain bread then grind it up in a food processor)

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Marinara
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the herbs and saute for a minute or two, being careful not to burn. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, chop the cauliflower into very small pieces and steam.

Herbed Tofu Ricotta
Mix together the tofu, salt, basil, rosemary, marjoram, lemon juice, yeast, pepper and the cornstarch/water mixture.

White Sauce
Whisk the margarine in a saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and whisk into a paste. Add the tahini, lemon juice, mustard, and the yeast and whisk well. Slowly add the soy milk, whisking well to make a smooth sauce. Add the salt and pepper and whisk over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened; it should coat the back of a spoon thickly.

Assemble the Casserole
Place the tofu ricotta in a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish - shallow and long works better than deep and narrow. Press it down to form an even layer.

Mix the cauliflower with the white sauce and spread it over the tofu in an even layer. Add the tomato sauce on top of the cauliflower, top with bread crumbs, and bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and browned.

Let stand at least 5-10 minutes before serving sot he casserole can set.

11 comments:

Eileen said...

Oh man, this looks great. And me without a farmer's market cauliflower this week! Boo! Curse you, self-restraint!

Emma said...

That looks so good. And what a perfect slice, your photos are always so gorgeous. I'm yet to try the cauli/tofu ricotta idea although the lasagna recipe in Appetite for reduction uses it.
And I love Cirque too. I've only seen 2 shows in London but I think they're back in January :)

Jenn said...

I love this recipe! I've made it several times.

Hannah said...

I'm with you 100%- The new Silk Pure Almond is now my "milk" of choice. It's just so thick and creamy, and perfect for both cooking and baking!

I already love cauliflower, but this recipe looks like it would make it irresistible.

Joanne said...

I used to be a die-hard almond breeze lover but the silk version is WAY better. Super creamy...I've been mixing some sugar into it and drinking it as dessert! I just know it would be awesome in this bake!

Mel said...

I love this recipe and used to make it a lot but haven't for a while now. Your version looks really delicious!

Julie said...

Looks complicated but after reading the recipe it sound easy! I'll give it a try! Silk is my favorite brand too!

Johanna GGG said...

I have admired this in the book - I am not so keen on creamy sauce but love it with cauliflower so must try it.

I share bits and pieces about my life but am still wary of what I put up - there is still a lot that doesn't go on my blog! I like associating my food with an event - it is a nice way to remember it. WIll look forward to your snippets

Rachel said...

LOVE the cat in a box! My dog and cat used to squeeze themselves into small boxes together.
Good to know about the almond milk in "cream sauces". Your cauliflower bake looks delicious!

Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said...

Haha I thought this was coffee cake at first. Now that I know it's cauliflower bake, it seems even more appealing! (I've never been a big coffee cake fan).

Anonymous said...

I am in love with your cat! So so cute! :D