For the marinade:
1 1/2 tablespoon vinegar (any kind but Balsamic)
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or less, if using ground mustard powder)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 tablespoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
dash each of salt, pepper, onion powder
1 sandwich-sized slab of extra-firm tofu, frozen/thawed/drained
Rest of sandwich:
breakfast bread of choice: English muffin, bagel, etc., I personally prefer a roll to
make it authentically deli-like
vegan mayo (optional)
vegan cheese OR vegan cream cheese with chopped green onions (optional)
vegan margarine (optional)
oil for frying
This is the perfect cure for those Bland Tofu Blues. The tofu should marinate AT LEAST overnight, then the rest of the recipe takes under 10 minutes to execute. It reminds me of the NYC deli breakfast specials of an "egg on a roll" for like a buck.
Marinade:
Mix the first 6 ingredients in a small plastic container with a lid. It shouldn't be like water, but if it's not liquidy enough it won't cover the tofu. If it looks too dry, cut with a bit of cold water, the flavor won't be sacrificed (trust me). Once you have a liquidy paste, toss in the tofu, close the container, and shake to cover tofu completely. Refrigerate at least 8 hours, and even up to 48!
Sammich:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Warm a small amount of cooking oil in a skillet (a dab'll do ya, the extra marinade liquid is almost enough for the frying).
When oil is hot, give the tofu a final shake in the container, then place in pan along with any non-absorbed marinade. Fry the first side about 3-4 minutes.
After putting tofu in the pan, get yer bread, and put vegan margarine or mayo you want to put on it. If you decide to use margarine, put a light brush on the outside of the bread, and/or a thin layer of vegan mayo on the insides is good. Place bread in oven.
Flip tofu over, and fry another few minutes Tofu is done when it's a goldenrod color on both sides..
At this time, if using any cheeze or cream cheeze, prepare that, add to bread, and warm in oven another minute or 2 to melt slightly. (I like vegan cream cheeze with a green onion cut up into it!)
Take bread out of the oven, add the fried tofu, and any extras like fake breakfast meats or (my favorite) tomato slices or avocado slices.
Optional: For extra greasy goodness, after removing tofu from heat, keep the burner on and add the whole assembled sandwich to the pan. Flash fry lightly on both sides (Outside of sandwich will be quite hot, careful!)
Wrap sandwich in some foil, and you're ready to go! For the true New Yorker experience, have the sandwich in 1 hand, coffee in the other, cigarette in the other...