Veggie Pot Pies

• 5 tbsp butter
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 chopped Portobello mushroom
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 block seasoned tofu, in bite size bits (recipe follows)
• 3 cups Vegetable Nage
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 ½ bounds fingerling potatoes diced potatoes, blanched
• 1 cup diced carrots, blanched
• 1 cup sweet peas
• 1 ½ tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves
• 1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry thawed
• 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of water (egg wash)

Seasoned tofu

• 1 block extra firm tofu, sliced into ¼ inch bits
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 3-5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh sage
• 2 tbsp chopped onion
• 1 tbsp finely minced garlic
• ¼  cup Mirin (sweet rice wine)
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce

Place the cut tofu into a container with all the ingredients. Marinate overnight. Place in an oven at 400 degrees F and bake about 15 minutes and flip the pieces over and cook another 15 minutes. The pieces should have dried out somewhat and obtained a meat-like texture. Set aside.

Place the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onions until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and celery and cook another 2 minutes. Add the mushroom and season with salt and pepper. Add the flour and form a blond roux. Add the seasoned tofu and nage and bring up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the liquid starts to thicken. Add the cream, potatoes (cut the fingerlings into bite size chunks if needed), carrots, poultry seasoning, peas, cayenne pepper and parsley leaves. Divide the mixture into ramekins and cover each ramekin with a piece of puff pastry. Place some of the egg wash on the pastry and bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until as Alton Brown says “it’s GB&D.”