Tofu & Acorn Squash Rice Casserole with Tomato Sauce 義式南瓜豆腐焗烤飯

When the leaves start falling, you know this is the time of the year that you begin to crave hot baked dishes. I love baked pasta, but I also enjoy making asian-inspired baked rice dishes like this one. 

Many years ago, when I first went to NY to study music, one of the first dishes I learned to make for myself (through a translated Japanese cookbook) was a rice casserole with eggplant and meat sauce. The reason I chose it was because it seemed like one of the easiest things in the book to make! I basically just had to cook the eggplant, add ground meat with canned tomato sauce, top it over rice with cheese, and bake! At the time, cooking wasn't very much for pleasure. Rather, it was a task to feed myself since I didn't live with my parents. I confess I had very little cooking skills; all I knew was music. So to give you an idea how easy this type of dish is, even with my then pathetic kindergarten-level cooking skills, my rice casserole never once failed me, and since then, I've been in love with it! Even though this dish is quite different and has a few more steps than the one I used to make, I dare to say it's still very easy. With just a small handful of ingredients, you can make yourself or your family a healthy, hearty, delicious one meal dish (without even using store-bought tomato sauce)!

Tofu & Acorn Squash Rice Casserole with Tomato Sauce (4 servings)

For the tomato sauce:

2 t   grapeseed or canola oil

1     clove of garlic, chopped

A: one 28 oz can Italian tomatoes
    small handful of basil (with stems)
    2                  sprigs of thyme or 1/8 t dried thyme
    1/8 t             dried oregano
    sea salt
    black pepper


*T = tbsp, t = tsp, C = cup

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil, then add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.

2. Add ingredients A. When the mixture comes to a boil, press the tomatoes with a potato masher to break them into smaller pieces. Season with a little bit of sea salt and some black pepper, and cook the tomatoes for 15-20 minutes until they start to get thick. Discard the basil stems and thyme. *You should have about 1 1/2 C of tomato sauce.

For the casserole:


1 1/2 C         white or brown rice

about 1 lb     soft/semi firm tofu *I actually used a little more, it just depends on your package

1 t               your favourite mixed dried herb seasonings

2-3 T            grapeseed or canola oil
 
1 1/2 C         onions, thinly sliced

2                  cloves of garlic, chopped

2 C               acorn, carnival, or dumpling squash, sliced into 1/4" thick

1 T               butter

1/2 C            basil leaves

1 C               grated mozzarella cheese *Feel free to add more : )

1. Cook the rice according to the package. *If you have some leftover rice, this is a perfect opportunity to use it here! Just make sure you reheat it before using it in step 9.
 
2. Preheat the oven to 375 F/180 C and oil four individual baking dishes.

3. Cut the tofu into rectangular pieces (depending on the size of tofu you have.) Use a paper towel to dry them, then season them with your favourite seasoning mix and sea salt.

4. In a large non-stick pan, add 1/2 T oil, then pan fry both sides of the tofu pieces until slightly golden brown. Add more oil if necessary. Take them out and set them aside.

5. Place the baking dishes on a baking sheet and transfer them to the preheated oven.

6. In the same skillet you used before, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add the onions and garlic, and cook for 10-12 minutes until soft. Season with sea salt and take them out and set aside.

7. Add more oil and cook the squash slices until just tender on both sides, then season them.

8. Transfer the cooked onions and garlic back into the skillet with the tomato sauce. Mix well and heat it through. Check the seasoning.

9. Mix the cooked rice with 1 tbsp butter. Take out the heated baking dishes, divide and place the cooked rice in them.

10. Top it with 3/4 of the squash mixture. Place the tofu pieces on top, then add the rest of the squash mixture. Scatter some basil leaves on top and finish with the cheese.

11. Transfer the four baking dishes to the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned. *If necessary, try the last few minutes with the broiler.

                                                                                               - Yvonne

每年ㄧ到了這個季節，就會開始想要吃些溫熱的食物暖身。除了焗烤義大利麵、我也非常愛吃焗烤飯。它讓我想起好幾年前，當我剛到紐約攻讀音樂的時候，最初開始下廚，從食譜上所學的其中ㄧ個料理是ㄧ個茄子肉醬烤焗飯料理。而選擇學習這道料理的原因是因它很簡單，只需要將茄子、絞肉分別煮好，加上現呈的蕃茄醬與米飯和起司進烤箱烤完即可！因為自己ㄧ個人支身在外，煮飯對我來說並不是興趣，而是我生活必需做的ㄧ件事。但是即使那時後的我，在料理上只有幼幼班的程度，卻從來沒有將那烤焗飯做失敗過！雖然這個食譜與我之前做的並不ㄧ樣，也稍微多了幾個步驟，但還是很簡單，只要幾樣食材，就可以自己做出美味的蕃茄醬汁還有這個健康的暖身素食料理！

義式南瓜豆腐焗烤飯 (4 人份)

蕃茄醬汁：

葡萄籽油 2 小匙

蒜頭 1 粒…切碎

A: 罐裝蕃茄  1 大罐 (28 oz)
    蘿勒       1 小把 (包含梗)
    迷迭香    2 根 *若使用乾燥的，1/4 小匙就可以了
    海鹽       1/4 小匙
    黑胡椒    少許

1. 在一個大型的平底鍋內將油加熱，然後加入蒜頭炒香，約30秒。

2. 加入A料，煮滾後以馬鈴薯搗碎器將蕃茄壓碎。加入一點點的海鹽與黑胡椒調味，以中小火煮約15-20分鐘至湯汁變稍稠，將蘿勒梗與迷迭香(如果使用新鮮的)挑出。*煮好的蕃茄醬汁大約是1 1/2杯。

焗烤飯：

白飯或糙米飯  4 人份

板豆腐         約1磅/450 g

自己喜歡的香草調味料 少許 (我使用的是義式調味料)

葡萄籽油       2-3 大匙

洋蔥            1 1/2 杯

蒜頭            2 粒…切碎

南瓜            2 杯…切成約0.6公分厚片 *我是使用acorn squash

奶油 1 大匙

蘿勒葉 1/2 杯

Mozzarella起司 約 1 杯.…削成絲

 

1. 將烤箱預熱至180 C/375 F，並將4個小烤盤抹上ㄧ些油，然後放置在大的烤盤上。

2. 將豆腐切成約5 cm x 1.2 cm 長方型塊狀，使用紙巾將多餘的水份吸乾，撒上自己喜歡的調味料與海鹽。

3. 在一個大型的不沾鍋中熱1/2大匙的油，放入切好的豆腐將兩面煎至稍微金黃，若有必要可加更多的油。將煎好的豆腐拿出，放置一旁。

4. 將4個小烤盤全都放入預熱的烤箱加熱。

5. 在之前使用的鍋中倒入1大匙的油加熱，放入洋蔥與蒜頭，撒上一些海鹽與黑胡椒調味，炒約10-12分鐘至軟，取出來放置ㄧ旁待用。

6. 在鍋中倒入更多的油，將切好的南瓜片兩面煎至熟，加少許海鹽調味。

7. 將放置一旁的洋蔥與做好的蕃茄醬汁倒入加熱拌好。

8. 將煮好的飯與1大匙奶油拌勻。從烤箱將烤盤全部拿出，並且將飯分別放入每個烤盤中。

9. 分別放入3/4的南瓜，擺上豆腐與其餘的南瓜，再放上蘿勒葉與起司。

10. 將烤盤全部放入烤箱烤約20-30分鐘至稍微金黃。*若有必要，可以在最後的幾分鐘將烤箱溫度調高。 



                                                                                              - Yvonne 

© recipe and photos by My Chouchoux