Meredith McCarty

Basting Liquid:
3 tablespoons each light/refined vegetable oil (such as Spectrum sesame oil) and natural soy sauce

1. To prepare tofu, mash it well. Line a 6- to 9-inch colander or strainer with a single layer of moistened cheesecloth and transfer tofu to colander. Press down tofu to make flat and fold edges of cheesecloth over tofu. Press with a 5-pound weight for at least an hour to several hours.

2. To prepare Homemade Stuffing Seasoning, mix ingredients.

3. To prepare stuffing, heat oil in a small skillet and stir vegetables and seasonings, including soy sauce. Cover to cook until vegetables are done, about 5 minutes. Add bread cubes and parsley, and mix well. If bread is very dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water. Stir and cover to steam a little longer.

4. Preheat oven to 400°. Hollow out tofu to within an inch of colander. (The space between the tip of your finger and the first joint usually serves as a built-in 1-inch measuring stick. Press finger into tofu to measure, then patch up the holes.) Pack in stuffing and cover it with the remaining tofu. Pat down surface so it is flat and firm.

5. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Flip filled tofu onto baking sheet so the flat surface faces down. Remove cheesecloth.

6. Mix basting liquid and brush tofu with one-third of it, then cover tofu with a larger ovenproof bowl or a tent of foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove cover, baste again, and return to oven to bake uncovered until "skin" becomes golden brown, about 45 minutes more, basting again halfway through.

7. To prepare gravy, in a 3-quart pot heat oil and sauté onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cover to cook until tender, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk flour and pepper with enough of the measured water to form a thin paste. Add remaining water and soy sauce to vegetables in pot. Bring to boil. Add flour mixture and stir well. Cook uncovered until desired consistency is reached, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a little more water only if gravy is too thick.

8. To serve, with 2 spatulas transfer tofu turkey to serving platter and garnish. Pour 1/4 cup portions of gravy over individual servings and garnish.

1. Preheat oven to 400°. To prepare pie dough, mix flours and salt. Drizzle in oil and stir until texture resembles pebbles. Add water gradually to form a smooth pliable dough. Roll out between sheets of floured waxed paper. Transfer pastry to oiled pie pan and flute edges. Line with a sprinkling of chickpeas to prevent buckling. Bake until done, 12 to 15 minutes. Brush rim with glaze in last couple of minutes of baking.

2. To make filling, in a 2-quart saucepan bring to boil maple syrup, water, agar, cinnamon and salt. Simmer until agar dissolves, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Check to be sure agar is dissolved by dipping in a tablespoon to see if any flakes remain.) Whisk in brown rice syrup. Dissolve thickener (arrowroot or kuzu) and vanilla in water to barely cover and add to pot. Over medium heat, whisk until chalky color changes to clear. Let mixture cool somewhat, about 15 minutes, then add pecans and transfer to prebaked pie crust. Filling sets in 1 1/2 hours refrigerated.