Try Everything Once, Except Polka

By Anonymous in Food on Jun 10, 2005 12:28AM

Summer brings with it the need to barbecue as much as possible…to get in all the cooking by fire you can before winter sets back in, usually the Wednesday following Labor Day. Chicagoist knows barbecues can be tough for vegetarians, as they are left making a meal of potato salad, macaroni salad, and Jello salads, while others tear through their grilled meats as though they just brought the mastodon home themselves. Well, have no fear, my veggie friends! Chicagoist has the perfect dish for you, and it doesn’t involve tofu. Except that it does, and it is delicious! Meat eaters please keep reading, there is no reason to fear the Tofutabeast. You must have had it in a Thai dish somewhere along the way…soy milk is very cool now, and tofu does not turn you into a granola bar, Chicagoist promises you that much. Besides, you should try everything once, except polka dancing. This is a tasty recipe we found and one you can actually improvise on, depending on your vegetable likes/dislikes. It can also be made in advance, which is nice, and for those of you without kick-ass Weber grills, yes, this recipe can be made under the broiler.

Veggie Kebabs – Serves 8

4 medium red-skinned potatoes
1 package of firm tofu (in the produce department, they also have extra firm for grilling!)
Teriyaki or Soy Sauce for marinade
2 sweet red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares

Microwave the potatoes 4-6 minutes so they are cooked but still firm. Allow to cool, then cut into chunks that will fit on a skewer.

Cut tofu into 1 inch thick pieces, and press between paper towels to take out a much moisture as possible. Do not smush the tofu, because, ew, gross. Cut into cubes and marinate in either Teriyaki sauce or soy sauce (put enough in the dish to cover halfway, then turn tofu halfway through). I also think hoisin would be good too, if you are looking for a thicker sauce.

Put the tofu, peppers, and potato chunks on a skewer, alternating, and cook on grill or in the broiler. Luckily, you can use the marinade from the tofu without boiling it to baste the kebabs during cooking. (Meat-eating folks, little helpful hint, only use the marinade to baste things during cooking if you’ve boiled it for a few minutes…you’ve had raw meat in there and that can be dangerous to baste with. Also, if you only use a portion of the tofu, save with the liquid it came in, it will make it last longer). Turn the kebabs carefully during cooking, and in about 6-10 minutes you will have a delicious treat for your barbecue.