Tempeh Taco Polenta Pancake with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Team: Milton Chef Jackets
Host School: Milton Middle School
Age Group: Middle School
Ingredients
Polenta Pancakes
1 cup yellow Polenta (cornmeal)
___ 1 ½ cup Flour
___ ¾ tsp. Baking Powder
___ ¾ tsp. Salt
___ 3 tsp. Sugar
___ 3 cup Buttermilk (1 cup milk + 1 Tbl lemon juice)
___ 6 eggs (beaten)
___ 6 Tbl melted butter
___ Vegetable oil
___ 12 oz Cheddar Cheese (grated)
Tempeh Filling
1 (8 oz.) package Tempeh
___ 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
___ 1 cup Mexican-spiced diced tomatoes (Ro-Tel)
___ 2-4 tsp. Chili Powder (2 may be enough)
___ 3 tsp. Cumin
___ 2 tsp. Lime Juice
___ 2 tsp. Garlic Powder
___ 2 tsp. Dried Oregano
___ 1 tsp. Onion Powder
___ 1 tsp. minced Chipotle Pepper
___ ¼ cup low sodium Soy Sauce
___ ½ red onion, diced
___ ½ green pepper, diced
___ 2 Tbs water
___ Salt & Pepper to taste
___ Cooking Spray
___ 2 Scallions, slivered
___ small bunch Cilantro, chopped
Cilantro Lime Slaw
1 head red cabbage
6 oz carrots, shredded
1 large bunch cilantro
3 limes, juiced
2/3 cup oil
1-2 t sugar
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Preparation Instructions
BATTER
___ Melt butter in frying pan on low heat; set aside
___ Combine milk and lemon juice (buttermilk) and set aside
___ Whisk Polenta, Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Sugar into large bowl
___ Make a well in center of dry ingredients
___ Add melted butter to Buttermilk; stir with fork
___ Stir Buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients using a whisk
___ Add beaten eggs to mixture
___ Beat until liquid is incorporated and batter is free of lumps
___ Set aside
___ Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes
Directions:
PANCAKES
___ Brush a small frying pan with oil
___ When hot, pour in enough batter to thinly cover base of pan
___ Pancakes should be approximately 2” each
___ (Use measuring ladle if possible)
___ Cook over medium heat until underside is golden
___ Sprinkle “wet side” with 1 Tbs. Cheddar Cheese
___ Turn pancake over and cook other side
___ Transfer to plate
___ Cover with a “tea towel” to keep warm
___ Repeat Process with remainder of batter
Tempeh Filling
Crumble Tempeh into a large mixing bowl
___ Using large spoon, mix in the minced garlic and tomatoes
___ Stir in Chili Powder, Cumin, Lime Juice, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, Chipotle Pepper and Soy Sauce
___ Once spices are thoroughly incorporated, add dice red onion and green peppers
___ Drizzle water in 1 Tbs. at a time into Tempeh Mix, while stirring ingredients continuously
___ Taste a little bit of Tempeh
___ Add Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
COOKING
___ Spray cast iron skillet or frying pan with a heavy coating of Cooking Spray
___ Heat over medium heat
___ Once oil is hot, toss in Tempeh Mixture
___ Stir and flip Tempeh so that it browns evenly
___ It will be ready when vegetables are tender and Tempeh has crispy edges (it will look similar to cooked ground beef)
___ It should take about 10 minutes to get to this point
Chipotle Sour Cream
combine chipotle sauce and sour cream, top tacos
Cilantro Lime Slaw
shred cabbage finely with chef's knife
toss shredded cabbage with shredded carrots and chopped cilantro
whisk lime juice and oil and whisk in sugar
Toss with slaw and season with salt and pepper