The main course in our holiday menu is the Tempeh In Crosta in Marsala Wine Sauce.
The Marinade
4 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of Marsala Wine (you may use non alcoholic wine or all vegetable stock if you prefer)
Juice of 3 lemons (with their peels)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 Tablespoon herbes de provence
1 Tablespoon maple sugar
1 teaspoon of paprika
salt and pepper to taste
Mix the stock, wine, lemon juice and peels, vinegar, onion, garlic, herbs and sugar, and salt and pepper thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 375oF
Marinating the tempeh
1 lb tempeh (two 8oz slabs)
Marinade (see above)
Place the tempeh horizontally on a cutting board, filet it down the middle so that you have two long rectangles. Then cut each rectangle in thirds so that you are left with 12 pieces of tempeh. Place the tempeh in a large baking sheet with high sides. Pour the marinade over the tempeh. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and then cover that with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Keep the remaining marinade for use in the Marsala Wine Sauce (below).
Dredging Station – Dry Ingredients
2 cups Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (use one cup at at time)
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon onion powder
salt and white pepper to taste
Dredging Station – Wet Ingredients
2 cups non dairy milk (use 1 cup at a time; you may need more)
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard (use 1 tablespoon at a time; you may need more)
Crosta
12 six inch round spring roll wrappers (rice paper)
water for soaking and softening wrappers
olive oil and vegan butter for sauteing
Have all the ingredients ready to go before you start. You are going to need to replenish wet and dry dredging stations periodically.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder and salt until well incorporated.
Take the cooled tempeh and brush off any remaining herbs. Place the tempeh on a plate and set to one side.
Put the “skin” on the tempeh.
Select a dish or pan that is large enough for the rice paper to lie flat inside. Inspect each rice paper carefully and discard any sheets that have holes or cuts. Add about 1 cup of very warm water to the dish or pan and soak 1 sheet of rice paper for about 20 seconds, or until the paper is softened but has not become completely limp.
Place the rice paper on a cutting board and rub it gently with your wet hands to flatten it and work in more water if needed.
Put a tempeh piece on the rice paper, slightly below the center, working from the edge closest to you. Pick up the edge closest to you and fold the rice paper up and over the tempeh. Fold the right and left sides toward the center. Working from the edge closest to you, gently roll up the tempeh burrito style. Repeat the process with the remaining tempeh.
Lightly dust a sheet pan with a little of the sifted and seasoned gluten-free flour.
Dredging Station Set-Up
In a pie plate, mix the non dairy yogurt and milk together. Roll a tempeh patty in the flour, then in the non dairy milk/Dijon mustard mix and in the flour again. Place on the floured baking sheet and repeat this process with all the tempeh.
A cast-iron skillet performs best for sauteing the tempeh but if you don’t have one, use a heavy bottomed pan with sides that are at least 3 inches high.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and one tablespoon vegan butter in the pan over medium heat until it the vegan butter is completely melted and is mixed with the oil but is not brown.
Using metal tongs, saute 4 pieces at a time, for about 2 1/2 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer the sauteed tempeh to a baking lined with parchment paper and place in a 300oF oven. Repeat the process with the remaining tempeh. You will also need to add more oil and egan butter with each batch. Tempeh will keep in the oven until ready to serve.
Marsala Wine Sauce
Remaining Marinade
1 cup of Marsala wine
1 cup of Vegetable Stock
1 Tablespoon of gluten free flour (more if needed)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons vegan butter (to finish the stock) (optional)
In the pan you’ve just sauteed the tempeh in, add the remaining tempeh marinade (removing the lemon rinds) and bring to a boil. Then add the 1 tablespoon of all purpose gluten free flour and cook for a few minutes. Add the Marsala wine and the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for five to ten minutes or until the mixture reduces by a third; it should have the consistency of heavy cream. Remove from the heat and pour it through a sieve or china cap, pressing down on the solids to get all of the juices. Discard the solids. Adjust the seasonings. Reheat the sieved sauce and add the optional vegan butter by whisking in 1 teaspoon at a time as you would a Hollandaise. Keep warm for use on the tempeh.
Plate the Tempeh In Crosta
On a large heated plate place a 1/4 cup (or so) of roasted garlic mashed potatoes and turnips.
Add on top of the turnips and potatoes about 1/4 cup of sauteed chard.
Place a Tempeh In Crosta on top of the chard; add a dollop of sauce on top and serve.