French Tofu Salad with Grapes

With crunchy almonds and sweet grapes, this elegant tofu salad sandwich will have you oooh-lala-ing. Using both fresh and dried herbs brings a complexity of flavor. It's a perfect picnic sandwich and pairs wonderfully with a dry white vegan wine. Recipe contributed by Tamasin Noyes and Celine Steen from their book Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day!* (Fair Winds Press, 2012).

Makes 4 sandwiches

For tofu salad:

• 1 teaspoon canola oil, if needed
• 1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon tamari
• ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
• ¼ cup quartered seedless green grapes
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon minced celery
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
• ¼ teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For sandwiches:

• 1 cup arugula, for serving
• One 16-inch baguette, cut in half lengthwise

To make the tofu salad: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. If the skillet is well seasoned, no oil is needed. If it isn’t, add the canola oil. Add the tofu cubes and cook, pressing down with a spatula and stirring, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until lightly golden and a firmer texture. Remove from the heat and add the tamari. Transfer to a medium-size bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and season to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to let the flavors meld.

To assemble the sandwiches: Place the arugula on the bottom of the baguette. Spread the tofu salad evenly over the arugula and top with the other half of the bread. Cut into 4 pieces and serve.

Serving Suggestions and Variations
• Instead of grapes, try substituting an equal amount of dried sweetened cranberries, dried cherries, minced fresh apples, or even raisins.
• For a change of pace, serve this on top of mixed greens for a take on a Waldorf salad.

• Here are lots more easy tofu recipes.
• Explore more of VegKitchen’s Vegan sandwiches and wraps.

Visit Tami’s blog at Vegan Appetite and Celine’s website Have Cake, Will Travel

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