Tofu-Hiziki Quiche

After a rainy Easter week, today is finally a beautiful Spring day. I thought we might go on a picnic, so just in case this morning I prepared a Tofu-hiziki quiche. Montse Bradford has several similar recipes, all tofu-based quiches with different variations, this one is my favorite. It takes a bit longer to make than others, because the hiziki has to soak and boil for a while, but the final result is well worth the wait. Hiziki (or hijiki) is one of the seaweeds with the most intense flavor (don't worry, the fishy smell it gives off when you're cooking it won't come out in the taste; it actually tastes quite sweet after seasoning). It is known to be rich in dietary fiber and essential minerals such as calcium(1400 mg/100g),iron(55.0 mg/100g) and magnesium(620 mg/100g).

Ingredients:
1 block fresh tofu
2 tablespoons hiziki
2 leeks, sliced finely
1 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
1 carrot (or 1/2 red bell pepper), diced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple concentrate
3 tablespoons white miso paste
pinch salt

Rinse the hiziki, put in a pot with water and soak for half an hour. Strain. Add more cold water and boil 1-2 minutes. Strain again. Cover 1/4 of the seaweed's volume with water. Cover and boil 20 minutes. Add soy sauce and apple concentrate, let boil uncovered until the liquid has evaporated.
Sautée the leeks in a wok with olive oil and a pinch of salt 10 minutes. Add the carrot (or pepper) and dried herbs. Sautée 5 more minutes.
With a hand blender, blend the raw tofu with a bit of hot water, olive oil and miso paste. Combine this creamy tofu with the vegetables, seaweed and olives. Mix well. Pour into a quiche pan (or square pan) and bake for 30-40 minutes. Garnish with some fresh basil or parsley. Serve cold or room temperature.

We ended up eating at home and I served the quiche with a huge green salad with a dressing made up of mustard, olive oil, toasted sesame oil, honey, and tamari.
The quiche is even more flavorful the next day, so I will take it with me to work tomorrow!