Baja Style Grilled Tempeh Tacos Recipes

BAJA-STYLE GRILLED TEMPEH TACOS

Steps:

• Prepare the slaw first: Mix first 6 ingredients (cabbage through ground black pepper) in a large bowl (don't use metal). Cover and place in fridge. Weigh down slaw with canned beans or full pickle jar. Slaw improves the longer it's allowed to mellow. Allow to press for at least 1 hour. When ready to use, squeeze out handfuls to release any excess juice.
• Make the lime cream: Blend ingredients from yogurt to 1/2 t salt in a blender until creamy and smooth. Add more salt or lime juice to taste, if desired. Pour into an airtight container and chill for 1 hour.
• Make the marinade: Whisk together ingredients from beer to cumin and pour into a glass pie plate or casserole dish.
• Prepare the Tempeh: Boil water in a 2 qt pot. Slice tempeh into 3 pieces lengthwise and then in half horizontally through the middle. Add the tempeh to the water, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove pieces with tongs and place directly in marinade dish. Marinate for 1 hour flipping occasionally to cover.
• Preheat the oven to 200. Preheat a greased grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Grill tempeh for 5 minutes on each side, while basting with marinade. Remove from heat and slice into thin strips. Keep warm, covered in foil in the oven while assembling tacos.
• Heat a corn tortilla, spread lime crema down the center, top with slaw, tempeh and then any garnish you like (diced tomato, pickled jalepenos, hot sauce, avocado, lettuce, etc). Fold & eat.

TEMPEH TACOS

Steps:

• In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the tempeh and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, undisturbed, until deep brown, 2 minutes. Stir and cook until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes. Add more oil as needed if the pan looks dry.
• Add the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, nutritional yeast and smoked paprika. Season with salt and cook, stirring constantly, until brick red and beginning to stick to the skillet, 5 to 7 minutes. Try not to rush this step; if it begins to burn, deglaze with a bit of water and reduce the heat.
• Add 1 cup water and the hot sauce, if using. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until thickened and the mixture is sizzling, 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and hot sauce.
• Divide the filling between the taco shells, then top with chosen toppings.

TEMPEH TACOS

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl or larger liquid measuring cup, whisk together the water, lime zest, lime juice, maple syrup, chili powder, liquid smoke, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. Set aside.
• With a box grater, plane-style grater, or the shredding blade of a food process, shred the sweet potato (no need to peel it). You should have about 2 heaping cups. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Break the tempeh into small pieces. Cook, continuing to break it up, for 2 minutes until just turning golden. Fold in the sweet potato, dispersing it evenly with the tempeh. Stir in the soy sauce. Cook until the sweet potato begins to soften, about 4 minutes more.
• While the sweet potato cooks, warm the tortillas. I like to spread them on a baking sheet and pop them into a 300 degree oven for a few minutes. You also can warm them in an ungreased skillet, cooking them for a minute or two on each side. If you'd like to keep them warm for a longer period, stack them, then wrap them in foil until ready to serve or keep them wrapped in a 200 degree F oven.
• Add the sauce. Let cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Pile inside the warm tortillas, add any and all toppings, and enjoy!

BAJA GRILLED CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Combine cumin, oregano, sazon, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Add lime juice and olive oil and stir to make the marinade. Add chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 12 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Grill marinated chicken until no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl and shred chicken with forks.
• Spray canola oil onto the tortillas and heat on the grill approximately 45 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with a paper towel to keep warm. Serve with shredded chicken.

GRILLED BAJA FISH TACOS

Steps:

• Whisk cider vinegar, vegetable oil, and salt together in a small bowl. Combine cabbage, scallions, and cilantro in a separate bowl. Pour vinegar mixture over top and toss to coat; set cabbage slaw aside.
• Combine chili powder, salt, coriander, cumin, and pepper in a bowl. Pat fish dry and rub with vegetable oil. Rub fish evenly with spice mixture. Place fish on a wire rack and refrigerate until grill is ready.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat with the lid down for 10 to 15 minutes.
• While the grill is heating, combine mayonnaise, 1/2 of the lime juice, chipotle peppers, and garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Scrape the hot grill grate until clean. Dip a paper towel in vegetable oil and quickly rub it over the grate. Lay fish on the grill, perpendicular to the bars of the grate.
• Cook until fish is opaque and flakes apart when gently prodded, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Tear fish apart into a bowl and pour remaining lime juice over top.
• Place several tortillas in a single layer on the grill and cook until warm, about 10 seconds per side. Transfer to a tortilla warmer and repeat to warm remaining tortillas.
• Smear warm tortillas with mayonnaise mixture, then add fish, cabbage slaw, and queso fresco.