Creole Rockfish and Tofu with Veggie Jambalaya

Wow, creole seasoning is good! I used the same spice mix on the fish and tofu, and it worked amazingly with both. I even tossed a bit of it into the jambalaya, which added a burst of flavor that perfectly complemented the veggie-filled rice dish.

Although you can purchase pre-mixed creole seasonings, you will see below that I mix my own. Personally, I think half the fun comes in developing the flavors yourself. However, even if you don't find that fun, I would still strongly urge you to go this route. Most Creole mixes that you can buy are filled with salt; it's the primary ingredient. However, when I make my own, I leave salt out entirely. You can put in a tiny bit if you insist, but you do NOT need salt to make this delicious and flavorful. And, it's healthier without it. Try my route and I promise you won't miss the MSG!

Difficulty: easy-medium
Time: 1 hr 20 min
Cost: $12.99



Creole Seasoning
Ingredients:
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano (dried)
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper

Note: the above mix will create slightly less than 2.5 tbsps (2.4 or so) which will be enough for all three recipes included in this post (tofu, rockfish, and jambalaya.) If you are making fewer things (or more) just adjust appropriately.

Creole Tofu
Time: 1 hr (mostly pressing time for tofu)

Ingredients:
1 block of extra firm tofu
2 tsp Creole seasoning (made from mix above)
2 tsp olive oil

Remove the tofu from the package, discarding all extra water. Cut it in half horizontally (or hamburger style!) so the top half is sitting on the bottom half.

Separate the two halves. Cut into strips, and then cut those into triangles that are about 1.5 to 2 inches on the two non-hypotenuse sides. These are the final sizes of the triangles you will serve, so if you want to cut them differently than described, now is the time!

Place several layers of heavy duty paper towels on a flat counter. Place the tofu triangles in a single layer on the paper towels, leaving about an inch between the tofu on all sides. Place several more heavy duty paper towels on top of the tofu. Then, put a large flat cutting board or cookie sheet or other flat large object on top of the paper towels. Then, put several heavy-ish objects on top of the cutting board or other object. For instance, I used several heavy books. The goal is to press down firmly on the tofu, consistently, but not to actually crush them so peek and check if needed.

Let the tofu sit in that position for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 45 minutes. This presses out all of the excess moisture which will make your tofu cook properly. If the moisture is not removed, then the tofu gets soft and mushy and not crisp and light at the end.

Put two teaspoons of the Creole seasoning into a bowl and move it so its spread evenly in the bottom of the bowl. Heat a small pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tsp of olive oil, swirling to coat. When the oil is hot, it's time to turn to the tofu.

Taking one triangle of tofu at a time, press it firmly into the Creole seasoning in the bowl, then flip and press the other flat side. Place the triangle into the pan (it should sizzle immediately.) Continue until half of the triangles are in the pan.

Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and then repeat the process (heat oil, season tofu, cook it.) The tofu cooks very quickly, so this should be done in no time!

Place the cooked tofu triangles onto a plate and serve immediately.

Veggie Jambalaya
Time: 1 hr

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 c onion, diced
3 tbsp garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp shallots, diced
2 c yellow summer squash, diced
2 c zucchini, diced
2 c tomatoes, diced
4 tsp Creole seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp Thyme
2 c basmati rice (or other long grain rice)
2 bay leaves
4 c vegetable broth (no salt added)
1/4 c green onions, diced

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, swirling to coat and let that heat as well. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and shallots. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring just enough to keep it from burning.

Add the yellow squash and zucchini. Saute for another 5-7 minutes. After that time, add the tomatoes, Creole seasoning, black pepper, chili powder, and Thyme. Stir well and cook for 1 more minute. Pour the rice in and stir constantly for two minutes, the entire time.

Add the bay leaves and pour in the vegetable broth. Stir until everything is mixed, then cover and let the mixture simmer on medium for 30 minutes. At that time, all of the broth should be absorbed and the rice should be heavy and soft. The entire time the broth is simmering, do NOT stir the jambalaya, but just leave it alone.

Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions. Enjoy right away.

Creole Rockfish
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Creole seasoning (made from mix above)
1 lb Rockfish

Mix together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, and Creole seasoning mix in a small bowl until it forms a paste. Make sure it is mixed evenly. Take a pastry brush and brush the mix evenly over the fillet of rockfish on the side without skin.

Heat a pan over medium high heat. Spray it with cooking spray. When the pan is hot, place the rockfish into the pan, skin side down. Cook for two minutes, then flip so the spice side is facing down. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Then flip back over and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until cooked to your desired degree. Serve immediately.