Savory Tempeh and Vegetables

It was with much fear and trepidation that I made this recipe from Simply in Season. But hey, I made a deal with myself – do all the recipes, except the cranberry ones (I’m allergic) and those featuring ingredients I couldn’t find locally (persimmons being one). I had never eaten tempeh or kombu that I’m aware of. Here’s how it went.

FOR PRINTABLE VERSION CLICK HERE: Savory Tempeh and Vegetables
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
4 strips kombu seaweed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs Ginger-root; fresh; minced (I realized I didn’t have fresh ginger so I used a pinch of ground)
2 sprigs rosemary (ditto on the rosemary; I just sprinkled some on the bottom)
1 lb tempeh, cut in 1 inch squares (I used wild rice organic, if that makes a difference. I have no idea when it comes to tempeh. But that’s what the health food store had).
1 cup water
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs maple syrup
2 medium onions, sliced
1 1/2 lb winter squash
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into large pieces (I didn’t have parsnips either, so I just used more carrots)
2 large carrots peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs cornstarch

1. Melt butter an olive oil together in an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium heat.

2. Break the seaweed into 1 inch pieces, and add to Dutch oven along with garlic, ginger root, and rosemary. Saute’ for 2 minutes.

3. Arrange the tempeh in a layer on top.

4. Whisk together water, soy sauce, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Pour over tempeh.

5. Layer on the tempeh in this order: onions, squash, parsnips, carrots. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Transfer to preheated oven and bake at 400F until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables and tempeh to a serving bowl. Drain back any juices into the Dutch oven and place over medium heat.

6. Combine cold water, soy sauce, and cornstarch into a small bowl and mix until dissolved. Whisk into the juices. Simmer, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Pour sauce over the tempeh and vegetables. If desired, gently fold in 2 thinly sliced green onions. Serve immediately over rice or bulgur.

The verdict: It smelled delicious. I took a bite of carrot. Good. I took a bit of squash. Good. A fork full of rice. Good. And then I went for the tempeh . . . taste: good. Texture: Different to me. Kind of curdy. I broke up the tempeh into smaller pieces and mixed with the rest of the vegetables. Ah, just right. I didn’t have a second helping, but it was still good.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/4 of a recipe (21.2 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 586.64
Calories From Fat (37%) 218.42
% Daily Value
Total Fat 25.42g 39%
Saturated Fat 7.26g 36%
Cholesterol 15.27mg 5%
Sodium 680.83mg 28%
Potassium 1638.83mg 47%
Total Carbohydrates 74.2g 25%
Fiber 9.84g 39%
Sugar 13.88g
Protein 26.63g 53%

This post linked to Food on Fridays