Tempeh, marinated with Balsamic and Rosemary

I recall returning home for a mid-college visit last year, and in a pre-flight conversation with my family, I made one request. I asked that my mom make fried tempeh during my visit. She had introduced the food to me in this way, serving it as a side dish of small cubes, lightly fried for a clean flavor. I landed in Louisville late that evening, and both parents picked me up. A tupperware of tempeh was waiting in the car. I ate it all.

Despite the simplicity of fried tempeh, it is one of my favorite preparations. But tempeh wears many hats, if not quite as many as its soy cousin, tofu. I'm fond of it barbequed, mustard-glazed, and even raw, should a craving strike on a lazy day. This tempeh is marinated and then baked. But let's spend a moment on the marinade. Tangy balsamic vinegar, a splash of olive oil, and crushed rosemary. A good whisk to emulsify the lot, and in goes the tempeh and hearty, whole garlic cloves that roast to a luscious consistency. I left the tempeh in oversized chunks, all the easier to eat. And after resting in the marinade, with the occasional flip to coat all sides, the oven does the rest of the work. You certainly don't have to marinade them overnight, but the longer they can soak up the mixture, the crispier they become in the oven, locking the liquid and flavor inside each piece. Toss in a salad or with pasta. Or eat, as I am prone to do, one piece at a time, until the plate is empty.

Tempeh, marinated with Balsamic and Rosemary

Ingredients:

2 8-oz. packages tempeh

2 TBSP olive oil

3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 TBSP dried rosemary leaves, crushed

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

--Chop tempeh into 1-inch squares. You should end up with about 10 squares per package of tempeh.

--In a 9x13 inch baking pan, whisk together the rest of the ingredients. Add the tempeh and toss to coat. Marinade for at least 1 hour and up to overnight, occasionally turning tempeh over in the pan.

--Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook tempeh for 20 minutes, or until the cubes look dry and are cooked through and garlic is softened and brown. Serves about 6 as a side dish.