Fresh Broccoli and Tofu Spring Rolls with Broccoli-Cashew-Lemon-Nettle Sauce

Ingredients:
  1 lb       firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1/2 cup      tamari 
  2 tsp      maple syrup
  1 tsp      olive oil
  2 tbsp     toasted hot pepper sesame oil
  1 pkg      rice paper
  1 medium   broccoli
  2 medium   carrot, peeled and julienned
  1 bunch    basil
1/2 medium   head of bibb lettuce, chopped
  1 cup      Chow Mein noodles, fried
  4 clove    garlic, diced
1/4 cup      olive oil
  1 medium   lemon, juiced and zested
1/4 cup      water
1/2 cup      cashews
 10          fresh nettle leaves
    to taste salt

Instructions:
For Tofu:

	Marinate tofu in tamari, maple syrup and 1 teaspoon olive oil for 30
minutes.
	Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
	Place tofu on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
	Bake tofu for 20 minutes, then flip pieces and bake for another 20
minutes. (In last 20 minutes, keep an eye on the tofu; it can burn.)
	Remove tofu from oven and lightly brush with toasted hot pepper sesame oil
to taste.

* TIP: If you are feeling exceptionally naughty, consider frying the tofu!
Gives it a little crisp.
For Spring Roll:

	Remove stalk from broccoli and cut into julienne strips. Shave off
1/2 cup of the broccoli tops and reserve remaining florets for sauce.
	Dip rice paper in a pan of warm water and place on a flat surface.
	Sprinkle shaved broccoli tops in a horizontal line.
	Add julienned broccoli stalk and carrot strips on top of the broccoli.
	Add 2 strips of tofu.
	Add 1 basil leaf, bibb lettuce, and chow mein noodles. 
	Roll the spring roll by tucking the sides of the rice paper over the
ingredients, then take the top edge and fold it over the ingredients,
tucking them into the roll tightly. Gently tuck the ingredients and roll.

*TIP: Rice paper is hard to roll if overfilled, so play around with the
right amount of ingredients and be sure to roll it tightly.
For Broccoli Sauce:

	Steam broccoli florets not used in the spring rolls until just slightly
tender.
	Saute diced garlic in 1/4 cup olive oil on medium-high heat until
browned. 
	Combine garlic and olive oil, steamed broccoli, lemon juice and zest,
water, cashews, nettles and salt in a blender. Blend like crazy until
smooth. Add more water to thin out the sauce.



Description:
Team Brossica Brothers wowed judges at the 2014 Top Chef Bastyr competition with their Fresh Broccoli and Tofu Spring Rolls with Broccoli-Cashew-Lemon-Nettle Sauce. The star of their meal was broccoli, aka Brassica oleracea, which is high in vitamins K and C, and packs 3 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber in a 1-cup serving. Hats off to Team Brossica Brothers, which consisted of Brandon Testa, Paul Despres and Mason Wallace, all students in Bastyr University's Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program. 


Notes: