Soak the
dried mushrooms in 1 cup of boiling water until soft, about 20 minutes.
Drain, reserving the soaking liquid. Remove the stems with a sharp knife
and cut the mushrooms into thin strips.
Heat the
olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion, garlic, and celery for
5 minutes. Add the button mushrooms and 1/4 cup of the reserved soaking
liquid along with the thyme, marjoram, sage, salt and pepper. Cook,
stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are browned. Transfer to a
large bowl and add the whole wheat bread cubes and sliced shiitake
mushrooms.
Preheat the
oven to 350F. Combine the tofu, milk, vinegar, and cornstarch in a
blender and process until smooth. Stir into the bread mixture and let
stand 5 minutes. Spread in an oil sprayed 9 x 9 inch baking dish, cover
with foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an
additional 20 minutes.
Clean the
spinach thoroughly and remove the stems. Heat the toasted sesame oil in
a large skillet and add the spinach leaves. Cook, stirring frequently,
until the spinach is uniformly wilted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with
the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and toss to mix. Spread the spinach
over the top of the baked pudding just before serving.
Savor the
flavor of the new twist on this time honored tradition.