Vegetarian Satsivi

This New Year's Eve, several of us got together to make a mostly vegetarian, nut-themed dinner. I decided to adapt the Georgian dish satsivi for tofu. Satsivi, a dish popular throughout the former Soviet Union, is normally cold chicken served in a velvety walnut sauce. To make the tofu version, I knew I would have to start some extra firm tofu in a marinade several hours in advance. I also adapted a couple of different recipes so that I could combine some of the more promising looking techniques with some of my favorite Georgian flavors such as pomegranate.

The result, in my humble opinion, was a great success. The tofu was toothsome and flavorful, and the sauce was decadent and complex. It can be easily adapted to be vegan, as well. I will scale down the recipe a bit to serve 8.

Vegetarian satsivi

For the marinade:

2 large packages extra firm tofu

Four cubes of vegetable broth (you want the flavor to be concentrated)

2 cups hot water

2 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice

1 tbsp thyme

1 bay leaf

Put the thyme, bay leaf, and vegetable broth cubes in a large baking dish. Dissolve the vegetable broth cubes in the hot water. Add the pomegranate juice. Slice the tofu into ¼" square logs and place them in the marinade. Put a smaller baking dish on top of the tofu to slightly compress it and let it sit for at least four hours.

For the walnut pesto (adapted from this recipe):

3 cups walnut pieces

8 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

1 large bunch fresh cilantro

1 tbsp Aleppo or other medium-hot Turkish pepper (or coarse Hungarian hot paprika)

1 tsp kosher salt

Make the walnut pesto in two batches (more if you have a small food processor). Use a food processor to make a fairly smooth paste of the walnuts, garlic, cilantro, pepper and salt. Remember to save a few sprigs of cilantro for garnish because the dish is a somewhat unattractive gray-brown color and cries out for a garnish when plated.

For the sauce:

3 tbsp unsalted butter (or olive oil for a vegan or lower cholesterol variation)

2 large onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp flour

4 cups of the marinade (pour it through a strainer to get out the thyme and bay leaf)

2 egg yolks (leave out in the vegan version, natch)

3/4 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1/2 tsp ground fenugreek

3/4 tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp dried tarragon

Salt to taste

¼ cup red wine vinegar

Cilantro sprigs and pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)

Melt the butter in a very large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until they just begin to color, about 8 to 10 min. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring for one minute more. Gradually stir in the marinade strained from the tofu. Let it simmer for 5 minutes without boiling.

Turn the heat down to low and gradually add the walnut pesto, stirring until blended. Add all of the spices and salt. Let this simmer for 3 to 4 min. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl, then stir in about a ladleful of the simmering mixture then blend the yolks into sauce (this step can be skipped if you're worried about the fat but they make the sauce velvety), and let it simmer for a few more minutes. Take another taste and adjust the seasoning. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar and the tofu, being gentle so as not to break the tofu down too much. Garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro and pomegranate seeds if you have them.

The dish is best served at room temperature, though warm is good, too.