Arranged here are crisp pieces of tofu on a velvety hummus made of dried fava beans, not chickpeas. It is served alongside cracked freekeh,
a nutty, roasted green wheat.

Spiced Tofu with Fava Purée
½ cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1 ½ tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 14-once packages firm tofu, sliced ½–inch thick
½ pound dried split fava beans
¼ cup tahini
2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small red onion, halved and sliced
½ cup golden raisins, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and drained
¼ cup pine nuts
8 cilantro sprigs, torn
Splash of white wine vinegar

In a large bowl whisk ¼ cup of the olive oil with garlic, coriander and cumin seeds, lemon zest, 1½ teaspoons salt and ¾ teaspoon of pepper. Add the tofu and turn to coat, then cover and marinate for 4 hours or longer.

In a sauce, cover the fava beans with 2 inches of water and boil until the beans begin to fall apart, about 40 minutes. Drain the fava beans, reserving the cooking liquid.

In a blender, puree the favas with 1/3 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the tahini, 1 teaspoon of salt and the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep the hummus warm.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a cast iron skillet. Turn the tofu in the marinade and scrape off any solids; add to the skillet. Cook over moderately high heat until the skin is golden. Turn tofu; transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

In a bowl, toss the onion, raisins, pine nuts, cilantro and vinegar with the remaining 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Mound the hummus on plates. Arrange the tofu on top, followed by the salad and serve.

Note: Be sure not to roast the tofu too long. I did and the skin of my tofu was a little too hard. I roasted a few carrots with the tofu just to add a splash of color for garnish. Also, I did not use yogurt.

Recipe Inspired by and adapted from Ignacios Mattos’ (chef and co-owner of Estela in New York City) Spiced Chicken Thighs with Fava Purée and Yogurt. 

Cracked Freekeh Pilaf

Cracked Freekeh Pilaf
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 cup cracked freekeh
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)
Salt and pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, shallot and garlic; cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes. Add water and freekeh. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until freekeh is tender, approximately 20-25 minutes. Stir in dried cranberries, nuts, salt and pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil; cover and let stand until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from recipe for Wild Rice Pilaf in Eating Well magazine.

Bon appétit!
Maritne