Ditch the meat!

I have had several requests for more vegetarian recipes, and I aim to please! Speaking of aim, these two recipes hit the flavor bullseye and you will never miss the meat.

First up is my new Szechuan Pesto Noodles with Crispy Spicy Tofu. The amount of flavor in this bowl is unbelievable and with the tofu, it is also full of protein.

Tofu has a lot of water in it and since the endgame should be crispy, water is not a friend. To help remove as much water as possible, I wrapped a fourteen ounce block of firm tofu in a kitchen towel, placed it on a rack over a sheet pan, and placed a heavy cast iron skillet on top for thirty minutes.

The marinade for the spicy tofu consists of the juice of one lime, two teaspoons each of sriracha and chili garlic sauce (such as Sambal Oelek), two tablespoons of dark soy sauce, one tablespoon each of ponzu and agave syrup, and one teaspoon of sesame oil.

I whisked it together, sliced the tofu into half inch planks, and allowed to marinate for thirty minutes.

I dipped the tofu into a mixture of one half cup Panko, one tablespoon cornstarch, and one teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper, then fried them in a few tablespoons of neutral oil such as canola, several minutes per side, until golden and crispy. I also reserved the extra marinade for drizzling at the end.

For the Szechuan pesto, I toasted two teaspoons of Szechuan peppercorns for a few minutes, and then ground them in a spice grinder.

I combined four cups of basil (including some Thai basil), one half cup roasted unsalted almonds, the ground Szechuan peppercorns, one teaspoon white pepper, three garlic cloves, and one clove of black garlic. (If you cannot find black garlic, you can add an extra clove of white garlic.) I pulsed until everything was chopped and combined, and then I added one quarter cup of dark soy sauce, two tablespoons of sesame oil, and one tablespoon of honey. I pulsed again, and then with the machine running, I slowly drizzled in two-thirds cup of canola oil until the pesto came together, I tasted for seasoning, removed to a bowl and set aside.

I had a large pot of salted water boiling and when I was finished with the pesto, I dropped a sixteen ounce package of frozen Chinese egg noodles into the water and allowed them to cook for three minutes. (If using dried noodles, you will need to start them a few minutes earlier since they take longer to cook.) I drained the noodles and reserved the pasta water. The pesto is definitely a bit potent due to the Szechuan peppers so I started by adding one third cup to the noodles as well as a ladle of the pasta water, tossing to combine, knowing I could always add more pesto if needed, although this proved to be the perfect amount.

I started by placing a mound of noodles into the center of each bowl...

...followed by three pieces of crispy tofu...

...plus a spoonful of the reserved marinade on each piece of tofu and a spoonful of chili crisp in the center...

...and finally, some sesame seeds, chopped scallions, and fresh cilantro leaves.

And if you need more reason to ditch the meat, check out these gorgeous Mushroom Enchilada Pizzas! Once again, tremendous flavors and textures, but this time on top of a perfectly charred homemade pizza crust.

Earlier in the day, I sautéed eight ounces of sliced cremini mushrooms in a tablespoon each of extra virgin olive oil and butter. plus a big pinch of salt to help them release their liquid. Once the mushrooms softened, I added one tablespoon of chopped garlic and a teaspoon of fresh chopped thyme, cooked until the liquid had evaporated, and then I removed from the heat and set aside.

I also prepared my favorite pico de gallo - a ten ounce can of diced tomatoes with chiles, such as Rotel, one half of a small red onion diced, one small jalapeño diced (seeds and membrane removed), several tablespoons of minced fresh cilantro, the juice of one lime, a pinch each of ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Once combined, allow to sit for one hour or longer. You will never find a more bright and flavorful pico!

I laid out all of the ingredients and then made the pizza dough.

I always use Food Network's Two-Ingredient Pizza Dough recipe because it comes out perfect every time and creates two crusts per batch. Plus, it literally is two ingredients and the stand mixer does all of the work!

I dust my pizza peel with cornmeal and build the pizza right on top.

Instead of pizza sauce, I started with enchilada sauce.

Next, I added a sprinkling of seasonings - cumin, chili powder, and Mexican oregano.

I used a combination of Mexican cheese blend and Monterey Jack.

I laid the mushrooms on top of the cheese.

One can never have too much cheese so I added another layer on top of the mushrooms.

If you do not have a pizza oven, you can certainly cook the pizza in a standard oven, set to 450 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, be sure to preheat it thoroughly in the oven, otherwise a cookie sheet will also work.

I love a bit of char around the edges of the crust, but you can cook yours until your desired level of doneness.

To the top of the cooked pizza, I added thinly sliced raw red onions, pickled jalapeños, and the fresh pico for brightness. I could literally eat this pizza every week, it is that good.

I hope to have more meatless recipes coming in the future so stay tuned!