Crispy Tempeh Fingers with Green Cream
Considering how many seitan recipes I throw out there, I thought I’d post an oldie but goodie tempeh recipe today. I’ve been making variations of this for probably 20 years. No kidding. Way back, I didn’t make seitan very often because it was the old school way and always seemed really time consuming. Keep in mind, this is back when I Hated (yes, a capital H) to cook. So seitan was too much of a hassle to make regularly and I only really learned to like tofu a few years ago. By elimination, that means we ate a good amount of tempeh.
Yes, I said protein. Where do you vegans get your protein anyway??? Oh wait..never mind! I’m not going down that road.
This recipe is really versatile. It’s good in sandwiches, makes a great parmesan (cut it in triangles instead), or just by itself as an appetizer with a dip if you’re feeling all fancy pants. You can shake up the seasonings to suit your mood and it’s got this incredible crispy crunch. This time around, I made it with pasta and a green cream, just for a fun accent.
Crispy Tempeh Fingers
1 8 oz package tempeh, steamed 20 minutes
2 Tbsp white wine
2 Tbsp broth
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried parsley, divided use
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil, divided use
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper
1/4 cup soymilk
scant 1 cup panko
oil for the frying pan
After tempeh is steamed and can be handled, cut in 12 fingers about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. If doing parmesan, do triangles instead.
Combine wine, broth,vinegar, olive oil, garlic, oregano and 1/2 tsp each of parsley and basil for the marinade. Marinate tempeh for at least 1 hour, longer is better.
When you’re going to cook the tempeh, heat oil in the frying pan. Mix flour with cayenne and the remaining parsley and basil. Pour milk in a pie tin (or whatever works for you) and dump the panko crumbs on a plate. Dip the marinaded tempeh in the flour (it’s probably wet enough from the marinade that you don’t need the milk for the first round), then in the soymilk, then the panko. Fry until golden, turning as necessary. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve or use in a dish.
Green Cream (the ultimate in easy condiments)
1 cup spinach
1/4 cup parsley (fresh)
3/4 cup vegenaise
salt and pepper to taste, if needed
Put everything in a food processer or blender until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Being a texture fiend, I happen to love the serious crunch of the tempeh with a sauce or pasta, and this hits the spot every time.
