Mushroom, Lentil, and Wild Rice Timbales recipe (Spanish version inluded)

I love tofu. Is one of the most versatile foods I have ever tried. You can eat it sweet, in a pudding, smoothie or banana ice cream (try it! I have just eaten two portions for dessert) or savory, in a stir fry, baked, fried in breadcrumbs or without them, marinated....or in a timbale, like I did. Usually I try not to make life difficult for myself and when I buy tofu (which is not always possible because in Cunit, the boring town where I live, there is no tofu, and I have to go to Barcelona to buy it in an Asian supermarket , or in a health food shop. Definitely I prefer the first option, despite the fact that the health food shop tofu is organic and the Asian supermarket is not, but the organic tofu costs twice as much as the Asian one) I just marinate it, or pan-fry.

But this time I felt like cooking something more laborious. Then I saw the announcement of the May edition of Tried and Tasted, this month hosted by Holy Cow and with Fat Free Vegan Kitchen as the featured blog, I immediately knew that I had to try some of the Susan's recipes that include tofu. Fat Free Vegan Kitchen is one of my favorites vegan blogs, and in fact was one of the first I discovered and that helped me to develop my passion for cooking. Looking through her recipe index, I found one that sounded very good: Mushroom, Lentil, and Wild Rice Timbales.

If you want to take part in the blog event, you still have until this Sunday 31 May. The original idea is of Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen, and you can participate even if you don't have a blog. Visit the Holy Cow's post about the event to get more information (Although the Zlamushka's logo is great, it was too dark for my design, so I decided to create my own one. Do you like it? Using Paint Shop Pro is so funny! ^^. Ah! And if you like it, feel free to use it. I suppose neither Zlamushka nor Vaishali won't mind...)



The other day I thought about posting my recipes both in Spanish and English. Lea, from La Tartine Gourmande, another fantastic cooking blog (is not vegan, but have got many vegetarian recipes) post her recipes in French and English. I decided to try it, so I translated the Susan's recipe. What do you think about? If you are interested (maybe there is someone who is learning Spanish), I could follow posting the recipes in both languages. I wait for your comments!


Mushroom, Lentil, and Wild Rice Timbales (see the original recipe in English from Fat Free vegan Kitchen)

***My opinion and comments about the recipe***

First of all, I must say I liked very much the result. I didn't expect the dish to become firm enough (usually, when I try to cook that kind of baked dishes they never turn out whole, and as nice as they looked in the original photo), but it did: it turned out perfect. The cornstarch and the tofu were enough to hold all the structure, and the result was a nice, satisfaying tofu-lentil-rice loaf. Yes, I told loaf, because I didn't have the little rameking the recipe called for, so I used a bread mould. And it turned out well anyway! The mine was cryspy on the outside, and moister in the middle, firm enough to cut it with a knife. It can seem a silly thing, but if there is one thing I miss about eating meat is not the flavor (it makes me sick just thinking about it), but the fact of cutting a firm slice of something. I had to change the recipe slightly, because I didn't have wild rice, so I used brown rice instead. I know that Suasan told that the wild rice was important to give it flavor, but I think it tasted great anyway. On the other hand, I would reduce the amount of garlic (2 cloves would be enough). I didn't cook a gravy for it, and used instead the a few tablespoons of the pumpkin-sweet potato soup I ate as a side....and ketchup. I suppose you think I spoiled the dish....but it really tasted delicious! xD
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Timbales de setas, lentejas y arroz salvaje
Estos timbales también constituyen un delicioso aperitivo untados sobre galletas saladas.

1 cebolla grande, finamente cortada

2 rebanadas grandes de pan (pueden ser sin gluten)
2 tazas de setas (unas 10 grandes)
1/2 taza de tofu sedoso (preferentemente light, firme o extra firme Mori-Un)

3 ajos, cuarteados
1 cucharada de jerez
2 cucharadas de agua
1 taza de lentejas cocidas
1 cucharada de pasta de tomate
1/4 cucharada de romero fresco picado
1/2 cucharada de tomillo seco
1/2 cucharada de salvia
3 cucharadas de maicena (harina fina de maíz) o arruruz
1 cucharadita de sal
1 taza de arroz salvaje cocido
Salt y pimienta negra recién molida
Setas fileteadas para decorar (opcional)

Hacer por adelantado: 1 taza de lentejas cocidas (de aprox. 1/2 taza de lentejas secas) y 1 taza de arroz salvado (1/2 taza antes de cocinar)

1. Precalienta el horno a 350ºF. Rocía 6 moldes para horno con aceite de canola o espray para cocinar y ten preparado un molde grande resistente al horno que los pueda contener (9x13-inch tendría que servir). Se puede poner una rodaja de seta en el fondo de cada molde si se desea.

2. Saltea la cebolla en una sartén anti-adherente hasta que empiece a caramelizarse. Reserva.

3. Pon el pan en un robot de cocina y pulsa hasta que se transforme en migas. Añade las setas, el tofu, el ajo, el jerez y el agua y mezclar hasta que prácticamente no queden grumos. Añade las lentejas y mezclar otra vez. Añade  la pasta de tomate, las hierbas, la maicena y la sal y procesar hasta que esté bien mezclado. Añade la cebolla y pulsa hasta  incluirlos pero sin triturarlos completamente (querrás que mantengan algo de estructura)

4.Echa el contenido del robot de cocina en un bol y añade el arroz cocido. Sazona con sal y pimienta negra molida al gusto.

5. Divide la mezcla entre los moldes aceitados y alisa la superficie con una cuchara. Coloca los moldes en una gran fuente para horno y añade agua a la fuente, teniendo cuidado en no salpicar con ella los moldes.

6. Hornea, sin cubrir, hasta que la superficie esté dorada y crujiente y el interior parezca moderadamente firme al presionar con los dedos - unos 45 - 50 minutos. Retira del horno y deja enfriarlo durante 10 minutos. Pasa un cuchillo alrededor de los bordes y da la vuelta a los moldes sobre platos individuales. Sirve  con tu salsa de setas favorita (o mira la receta de Susan)

Nota: si planeas servirlos más tarde, mantén los timbales en los moldes, cubiertos, y recaliéntalos en su baño de agua durante unos 10 minutos. O caliéntalos en microondas durante una minuto cada uno antes de servir.

Hace 6 raciones. Por ración: 131 calorías; 1g Grasa (5%calorias de las grasas); 7 g proteínas; 24g carbohidratos; trazas de colesterol; 442 mg sodio; 4g fibra.