My Tu B'Shevat Gift to You!

In honor of the upcoming Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat (the new year for trees), I have created the following recipe. Enjoy!

This recipe is designed to be milchig (dairy), and as such does not include any meat products. To make a fleishig (meat) meal, simply replace to tofu with ground lamb and the veggie stock with beef or chicken stock. In that case, I would change around the spices (a little oregano would be nice; think Greek), sear the ground meat first and then use the lamb fat in which to cook the miripoix. Of course, if you use meat, ixnay on the eesechay!

Mediterranean Apples Stuffed with Dates and Figs

Ingredients:

• Apples (small and crisp bakers)
  
• Jasmine Rice
  
• Miripoix (diced). [You are reading this on a computer. Go to Google and look it up!]
  
• Dates (pitted and chopped)
  
• Figs (pitted and chopped)
  
• Extra firm tofu
  
• Fresh spinach (washed and spun-dried)
  
• Feta cheese
  
• Vegetable Stock
  
• Garlic (to taste, chopped fine)
• Walnuts (chopped and toasted, please)
  
• Crisp white wine (suggest Riesling or similar; since this is for a Jewish dish, keep it kosher!)
  
• Suggested Spices;
  
  
  
  • NaCl (pref. kosher sized flakes)
    
  • Pepper
    
  • Cinnamon
    
  • Ginger (powdered)
    
  • Cumin
    
  • Allspice
    
  • Cayenne
    

  
  

Set oven to preheat to 350ºF.

Press the tofu between two clean towels for 10 minutes to wring it of moisture. Then cube it and marinate to add flavor. Figure out your own marinade.

While the tofu is marinating, cook the rice in the stock. Set aside to cool after it cooks.

After your rice is cooled, sauté your miripoix in vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the vegetables and sauté the tofu until firm and G-B-D. Remove the tofu and deglaze with the wine.

Cook the figs, dates, spinach walnuts and the garlic until the spinach is just wilted. Remove from heat and add the rice, tofu and miripoix. Mix until well combined. Add spices and seasonings to taste. Set mixture aside to cool.

Scoop out a cavity in each apple from the top, and place in sheet pan. Spoon the stuffing mixture into each apple, until each is loosely filled. Top with feta and bake until delicious.

Serve with the remainder of the white wine and a tabouli salad.