Following on from our recent nutrition-based coffee mornings I was asked to do a 'recipe of the week', by some of our lovely team: Sara Benson, Jen Zhou, and Delia Ellis, who are often in Reception and on the receiving end of some of my more ridiculous thoughts and climate-action-related schemes.
The first recipe is a little late due to the Bank Holiday weekend, but it's worth the wait. And inspired by the local elections this week I felt it only fitting to conform to the expected stereotype of tofu-eating wokerati (and yes don't worry, tree-hugging will be demonstrated later this month)...
Spicy Smoky Tortilla
This is a delicious recipe based on one from Alice Hart, and makes a large frying-pan’s worth of tortilla or omelette. I’ve made it with eggs due to popular demand from my colleagues for a protein-rich meal. Cut into 6 slices, and serve with a colourful salad and crusty bread for lunch (great in a lunchbox too). Or, to make a more substantial dinner, cook some couscous and fork it through with ½ tsp sesame oil and some chopped coriander or Thai basil, and any steamed green veg of your choosing. Yum!
Preparation/Cooking time: 30 mins max
Equipment: food processor, grater, sharp knife, spatula, frying pan (with metal handle so it can go in the oven), oven (preheat to 200 ֯C), oven gloves/mitts (I absolutely insist - a tea towel just won't cut it here)
1 pack of smoked tofu, drained
2 spring onions
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1 carrot, coarsely grated
2 tsp Thai green curry paste
1 tsp lemongrass paste (or one stalk lemongrass finely chopped)
2 tbsp peanut butter (either crunchy or smooth)
1-2 eggs – see how you go!
A handful of Thai basil leaves if you have it, or coriander if not.
Pop all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse just until it comes together; it doesn’t need to be a very smooth texture.
I’d start with just one egg and if it doesn’t seem to want bind together enough, add the other. You’re aiming for something like flapjack mixture consistency, and don’t worry if it’s too wet; it’ll come together when it bakes!
Heat your frying pan to medium (6 on an induction hob) with a tiny splash of oil (ideally rapeseed or anything plain), and remember to keep your windows open so that your cooking doesn’t aggravate anyone’s wheezing from asthma or hay-fever.
Spoon the mixture into the hot pan and squish/pat down to form a nice round tortilla. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, then transfer to the oven for about 8-10 mins. It should be slightly golden on top when it's done.
Remove from the oven and place on a mat to cool. Now this is really important: always wrap the oven glove around the handle and leave it in place in case anyone comes to try to pick it up. It will be piping hot!
After about 10 mins it will be ready to cut, or if you’ve added two eggs it’ll be more bound together so it’s safe to flip it onto a plate like an upside-down cake and then slice. In my picture here I’ve made it with just one egg and it probably would have crumbled if I’d attempted acrobatics with it!
Here's my finished article, with some chopped chives and a salad.
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