Chimichurri Tofu-Pecan Meatball Sandwiches
Print the recipe
see [Note] on yield , meatballs adapted from here
For the meatballs:
1 cup water
1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
1 lb Twin Oaks brand extra-firm tofu [see note on tofu]
1/2 cup unsalted pecans
3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, roughly chopped
2 TBSP reduced-sodium tamari
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 cup oat bran
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt
1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley, tough stems removed, finely chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro, tough stems removed, finely chopped
To assemble:
sandwich/burger buns
sliced roasted red pepper
Parsley-Cilantro Chimichurri, recipe follows
Boil one cup water in a small sauce pan. Remove from heat, stir in TVP, and let sit 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, roughly crumble the tofu into a food processor. Add pecans, sun-dried tomatoes, tamari, and liquid smoke. Process well, until uniform with no large chunks of pecans.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oat bran, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, chopped parsley, and chopped cilantro. Stir to combine, add the tofu-pecan mixture, and mix thoroughly (hands are best). Add reconstituted TVP when cool enough to handle and mix until incorporated.
Form meatballs, place them in a lightly oiled slow cooker and cook on low 4-5 hours (you may need 5-6 hours for golf-ball size). Alternately, bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, until warmed through and golden.
To assemble, place meatballs on a bun (toasted on the cut sides, if desired), spoon on a scant tablespoon of sauce, top with pepper strips, then sandwich.
Note on yield: recipe yields 36-40 ping-pong size meatballs or 26-30 golf-ball size. Sandwiches will require 3-4 meatballs per bun, depending on bun size.
Note on tofu: Twin Oaks extra-firm is exceptionally dense. If you use a different brand, look for super-firm, or press your extra-firm tofu for 20-30 minutes, then weigh it out for the recipe.
Parsley-Cilantro Chimichurri
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, tough stems removed
1/2 cup loosely packed parsley, tough stems removed
1 TBSP fresh oregano leaves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 TBSP rice vinegar (unseasoned), (or white wine or red wine vinegar)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small jalapeno, trimmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt
Puree all ingredients until smooth. Adjust salt, and vinegar, if needed.