Tofu Saganaki

Tofu Saganaki

Its’s February, it’s cold and rainy, and you’ve exhausted all the good stuff on Netflix, but don’t despair. Here’s a recipe courtesy of one of Greenstone Lodge’s Greek chefs, Christos, to transport you via your mouth to a beach Taverna on either Rhodes or Corfu. So pour yourself a Mythos, slap on the best of Demis Roussos, and get cooking. Yamas!

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp sugar

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 lemon

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried dill

2 tsp dried mint

100g grated vegan chedder

200g firm smoked tofu, drained and chopped into cubes

A pinch of chilli flakes

½ cup of black olives

200g vegan feta

Salt & pepper

Extra lemon and fresh mint to garnish

  1. Cut the feta into small cubes, transfer it into a bowl and mix with a 1 tbsp of olive oil, half the lemon, 1 tsp each of dill, mint and oregano, ¼ tsp salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Mix well and leave to marinate for at least an hour.
  1. Heat a large saucepan on a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the onion and a pinch of salt, cook for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Now add the tomato puree and sugar and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, a cup of water and the rest of the oregano and mint. Heat until the sauce starts to bubble, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
  1. Transfer the sauce into a small oven proof dish, add the remaining juice of the lemon, dill, olives and grated cheese, mix and cook in oven at 180C degrees (fan) for 15 minutes, then stir in half the feta, sprinkling the other half on top, put back in the oven for 10 minutes.
  1. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan to a medium-high heat, add the remaining oil and add the tofu and ¼ tsp salt and pepper to taste, stirring so that all sides get coloured, add the chilli flakes and fry for another minute. Then remove dish from oven and add the tofu to the top, and place back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Serve with a squeeze of lemon, fresh mint and sides of your choosing.