Yuba Roulade with Mushroom Sage Stuffing

One of the things I look forward to the most when I visit northern California is the opportunity to enjoy products made by the Hodo Soy Beanery. (And, no, I was not paid by them to write this post.) I discovered Hodo Soy when I went to the Ferry Building Farmer's Market in San Francisco with Eric Tucker, the Executive Chef at the Millennium, on a farmer's market tour before our cooking class. Eric said they make some of the best soy products and I have to agree. Hodo Soy does not ship outside of northern California so I seek them out when I am in the area.

We headed over to a natural foods store in Berkeley and were delighted to find fresh Hodo Soy yuba in the refrigerated section. Yuba, or tofu skin, is the Japanese word for the tender “skin” that forms on the top of heated soy milk. It is made by boiling soy milk in a shallow pan and collecting the film that forms on top of the soy milk, composed primarily of a soy protein-lipid complex.  It is not easy to find fresh, refrigerated yuba -- usually you can find it frozen or in its dried form in an Asian market.  When made fresh, yuba is unlike any other type of food and is prized for its texture and creaminess. These thin sheets of soy can be cut in the form of noodles, used as a wrap, or pressed into blocks.

Zach and I decided to modify a Yuba Roulade with Mushroom Sage Stuffing recipe we found on the Veggie Belly blog. It turned out perfectly delicious like something you'd find in a restaurant! Savory and filling! But, beware, this is a time-intensive process.

Yuba Roulade with Mushroom Sage Stuffing
Ingredients for Yuba Roulade
Serves 2-3

• 2 sheets of fresh yuba (you can also use frozen or dried)
• 1 T Earth Balance or other vegan margarine
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 8 large button mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 T chopped fresh sage
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cup dried vegan stuffing (I used fresh bread dried in the oven)

Ingredients for Red Wine Sauce

• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 T flour
• 1 sprig of thyme, optional
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

If using frozen yuba, let it defrost before using. If using dried yuba, boil a large pot of water, turn off the heat, and put the tofu skins in the water. Let them soak for 15 minutes. Then, gently pull them out of the water, letting all the excess water drip away.  If using fresh yuba, just pull the sheets out of the package.

Lightly oil a baking sheet and lay 2 sheets of tofu skin, one on top of the other, so that their longest side is closest to you. It is okay if the tofu skins tear a little -- you can still use them. Cut the tofu skins down the middle to make two sets of sheets. (You will not see this in the pictures - this is something I learned along the way.)

Heat a skillet on medium heat, then add the Earth Balance, onion, carrot, and celery.

Cook until the onions become translucent. Then, add the mushrooms and saute until they are cooked through -- about 3 minutes. Add the sage and thyme and stir. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

Turn off the heat, and stir in dried bread or stuffing. Tip: we couldn't find vegan stuffing anywhere! So, we just diced fresh bread up and cooked it in the oven until it became hard. If you do this, you may want to add some additional sage to make up for the herbs that are normally in dried stuffing.

Toss everything till the stuffing is mixed well and absorbs all the stock.

Now, divide the stuffing in half and put half of it in the middle of each tofu skin layer, leaving a 1 inch border. (I did not have mine cut in half until I realized it didn't fit into my pot!)

Gently fold the right and left sides of the tofu skins over. Then, pick up the longer side closest to you, and roll it away from you. Keep the right and left sides tucked in as you roll it up. Roll it gently, but firmly. You should have two roulades.  (I only had one in this picture.)

Place each roulade on a sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap the foil around the roulade to make a log. Twist the ends closed. Repeat this with a second layer of foil. Now the roulade is ready to steam.

Heat a thin layer of water in a large pot or skillet. Bring it to a boil. Place the roulade in the skillet. Cover it. Reduce heat to medium-high, and let the roulade steam, adding more water as it evaporates. It will evaporate quickly so keep an eye on it. Steam them for about 1 hour.

While they are steaming, you can make the sauce. Whisk the wine, stock and flour together. Make sure there are no lumps. Add the thyme sprig. Pour the mixture into a sauce pan and simmer till the sauce has reduced to half its original volume. Whisk in the Earth Balance and salt and pepper to taste.

Now, remove the roulades from the pot and let them cool for a minute. Then remove the foil.

Heat 1 teaspoon of Earth Balance in a non-stick skillet. Carefully place the roulades on the skillet and sear all sides of the roulades until they are lightly golden.

Serve with the red wine gravy.  This meal is fit to be served at a holiday gathering with the non-vegan family!  Yes, it is that good!  Pair it with some mashed potatoes and a green salad and you have a complete meal.