country fried tofu with roast onions, mashed potatoes, and gravy

delicious comfort food. all very satisfying. the tofu is from ann jackson's cookin southern, vegetarian style, which is a great depository of tips and tricks for adapting classic dishes, as well as treats no health food cookbook would touch with ten foot pole. i've had these little golf ball size onions from the farmers' market that wanted using up so i cooked them in the style of a dish i like to do with shallots for thanksgiving. the mash was simple, unadulterated, and i'm always trying to come up with a nice, hearty gravy.
for the tofu: mine was leftover from some spring rolls i made the other night, just extra firm tofu sliced about 1/2 inch thick, pressed, and marinated with a bit of sesame oil and tamari. ms. jackson's trick is to dredge it in nutritional yeast and pan fry it low and slow in cast iron till it's beautifully golden all over.
i've talked through good, proper mash a couple times already, but to reiterate: boil potatoes whole, peel, pass through a food mill or ricer, mix with butter and cream.
for the gravy: this was sort of a thickened mushroom gravy, lots of chile, but didn't taste that hot - adjust to your own taste.

• 4 small fresh onions, minced fine, any of the good looking green bits included
• 1 jalapeno, minced fine
• 1 habenero, minced fine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced fine
• small handful dried porcini and
• small handful dried chanterelles, soaked for twenty minutes, minced fine, liquid reserved
• small sprig rosemary, minced
• small handful parsely, minced
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup mushroom stock (i like 'better than bullion,' they have it at whole foods)
• 1 tbs. cornstarch

suatee the onions, garlic, and chiles in olive oil until softened, then add the mushrooms. cook, stirring often, until it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, then deglaze with the white wine. add mushroom stock, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1/2 hour. combine about 1/2 cup of the reserved mushroom liquid with the cornstarch. when ready to serve add slurry and bring to a full boil to thicken.
now for my favourite, the roast onions; i used:

• 3 small fresh onions
• 2 shallots (yes looks like four, sometimes you peel a shallot and there are 2 inside!)
• 3 tbs. butter
• 1/3 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup water
• ~1 tsp. marmite
  

suatee the onions in butter until golden brown all over, a little black is ok, then...


add brandy, enjoy fire! watch for eyebrow singing/arson charges.
add the water and the marmite, then place in a 350 degree oven for ~1/2 hour till the onions are soft and the liquid is reduced to a sweet syrup. yum. the liquid left over after making this is pretty incomparable as a gravy itself, but not enough for all those mashed potatoes.
everything put together and garnished with some basil made for a very satisfying meal.