Gingersnap Gravy with Tofu-Schnitzel Cutlet

I decided this was a great afternoon to re-post one of the odder sounding foods from my German heritage: Gingersnap Gravy.
Yes. Spicy, sweet, ginger-molasses cookies... mushed up in gravy. Could we get any stranger?
Welcome to Day 26 of blogging Vegan Gravy.

Anyway, gingersnap gravy? Sounds crazy 'till you try it! I admit, as a kid I turned up my nose for years. Cookie-gravy. Not interested. And besides, gingersnaps are my LEAST favorite cookie in the world. But, you can guess the rest of the story - once I (finally) tried it, of course, I was just as enamored as I am with all the other gravies out there.

So, if you're still not convinced, don't think "gravy" exactly, OR cookies - think "spicy sweet-and-sour sauce". The tomato juice, vinegar and broth definitely temper the "sweet cookie" flavor. You'd never know they were in there if you weren't whipping up the gravy yourself.
Besides, it's the perfect thing for next year's Octoberfest.
I'll even throw in the "Schnitzel-Style Tofu Cutlet" recipe that goes so great!

Gingersnap Gravy

1 small onion, chopped fine
2 tbsp. margarine
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup brown sugar
10 vegan gingersnap cookies, crushed fine
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp onion powder

In a small skillet, cook onion in the margarine until very soft, put a lid on the pan if onion starts to brown too much.

Meanwhile bring tomato juice and broth to a simmer in medium saucepan. When onion is very soft and somewhat browned, add to saucepan and broth. Add brown sugar, cookies, vinegar and onion powder. Simmer on medium, stirring with wire whisk frequently, until cookies have dissolved and thickened the sauce. (If you want to run through a blender at this point, for a smoother gravy, that's your choice - it's good either way).
Pour over 'Schnitzel', red potatoes or German veggie-meaty item of your choice...

Tofu-"Schnitzel" Cutlet

Cutlet:
2 pounds extra-firm tofu, sliced in 3/4 inch sliced (frozen-thawed-pressed is best here, but regular firm, straight from the package works too).
OR you can use tender homemade seitan/gluten cutlets here, though they won't absorb much, if any, of the marinade.

Marinade:
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup broth
1 tbsp marmite or soy sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (or Bacon Salt)
- - -
1/2 cup whole-wheat (or rye) flour
2 teaspoons caraway seeds, crushed if possible
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 cup dry whole grain breadcrumbs
oil to fry, I prefer coconut oil here

Slice tofu approximately 1/2″ thick.
Marinate overnight in Marinade.

On a plate, mix together flour with spices.
In a bowl, stir together milk and liquid smoke.
Place breadcrumbs on another plate.

Drain tofu slightly, leaving it a bit damp. Line up your plates for 'dipping': Flour, milk then crumbs.
Dip tofu in flour mixture, then milk, then breadcrumbs, coating on all sides. You may need to press the coating on a bit.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and carefully place tofu "cutlet" in hot pan. Fry on each side, approximately 4 - 5 minutes, until golden. Repeat with remaining tofu.

Keep warm in a single layer in the oven.
When all are finished, serve with Gingersnap Gravy.

To serve this the way I remember from growing up:
Surround with steamed new potatoes dressed with margarine and parsley, and some good sauerkraut (NOT canned, acceptable from a glass jar, but the 'fresh' stuff straight from the deli is my preference) .
Alternatively, I love this with steamed broccoli, kale, beets and a fresh carrot salad. Any of those fall veggies work well here.

Mandarin-Ginger Glazed Tofu and Coconut Rice

Tonight's simple, but yummy, supper. It appears I had rather a sweet-tooth, and since I'd just scored some super-cheap coconut milk and tofu at the local Asian Market, here's what I made:

Coconut rice. (recipe follows, but I only know how to make it in a rice cooker. I do not cook rice any other way).

Steamed baby zucchini from the garden (and there are some greens underneath) with lemon.

And sticky, spicy ginger-orange tofu that will have you licking out the baking dish...I make the glaze pretty intense and the flavors mellow a bit as the tofu bakes and absorbs the sauce.

Coconut Rice

2 cups Thai jasmine white rice (other types of rice, such as brown rice, don't work for this)
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (not "lite" or coconut water)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
Place rice in rice cooker. Add the water, coconut milk, salt, and sugar. Stir well.

Cover and set to cook.
Once your rice cooker switches to "warm" mode, allow another 8-10 minutes for rice to finish "steaming". This will ensure your coconut rice is fully cooked and sticky. Garnish with grated coconut or chopped peanuts if you want.

Mandarin-Ginger Glazed Tofu

1 block extra firm tofu, patted dry and pressed for a while, if needed, to make it VERY firm and almost "dry" - cut into 3/4-inch cubes.
2 tsp. peanut (or canola) oil
1+ Tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger - use a microplane grater if you have it (Can I just interject here, YAY for microplane graters!!)
1 Tbsp. pressed (or minced) garlic
2 Tbsp. cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey (*gasp*) OR agave syrup or maple syrup or rice syrup or even plain old CORN syrup
3 small satsuma or mandarin oranges, peel zested with microplane grater & juiced (you should have 1/4 cup or more, of juice and about 2 T zest)
1/4 cup rice wine or apple juice
1 teaspoon Sriracha hot chili sauce or to taste
2 T lemon juice

To make the glaze: Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, and when hot, add the garlic and the ginger. Cook another minute. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until heated thru.

Toss tofu cubes in sauce, pour into glass baking pan and bake at 350° for 30 - 50 min. (Depending on how moist tofu was) turning several times until sauce is thick and bubbly and reduced and sticky) Watch carefully at the last, it can harden into a burnt-sugar glaze quite quickly.

Remove from oven, Make sure to scoop out of pan while still hot, the sauce tends to get very solid and candy-like. Serve with veggies and/or rice.

Ginger Pumpkin Scones

OK, so I found a recipe that was supposed to be just exactly like those yummy (but not vegan) Pumpkin Scones that Starbucks sells... I used to be in love with those things. Well, the recipe wasn't all that great, so I messed it all around and made them much better (if I do say so myself) AND made them vegan.

My family LOVES them. Then I posted them over at VeggieBoards and got a good reception there as well, so I thought I'd post them for you fine fellow-bloggers too.

Yes, LOTS of ginger in these. But I'm a fan. And it's good for you!

PUMPKIN SCONES

1/2 cup sugar

3 1/2 cups flour (I use 1/2 white, so shoot me!)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ginger powder

2 Tbsp. finely minced candied ginger

1 Tbsp. finely shredded/grated fresh ginger root

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup margarine

2 TB. coconut oil

2 cups pureed pumpkin (fresh or canned, either is fine).

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and dry ginger and cinnamon).

Cut in margarine and coconut oil, adding a bit at a time until mixed. Add pumpkin and candied and fresh ginger and combine well.

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough a few times, pushing it into two corcles, a few inches thick.

Cut each circle into 5 or so fat triangular pieces. Imagine you are cutting a pizza so that you get even, triangular slices.(Not that it matters if they're even.)

Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until done.

I usually sprinkle the tops with sugar before baking, or drizzle with an orange glaze or something if I'm feeling all Martha Stewart-y.