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SAMMICHES

OTHERWISE KNOWN BY most people as “sandwiches,” sammiches are the miracle of modern food technology. They are simultaneously a finger food and a whole meal, loved by the young, old, and in between. We take them most seriously here in the Veganomicon and we’re not afraid to pile on the good stuff, such as roasted vegetables, seared seitan, crunchy salads, and only the best bread we can get our hands on. These might take a little more work than your average PB&J, but they’re no big cyclopean (huge, ancient, and made out of stone) effort.

BAJA-STYLE GRILLED TEMPEH TACOS

SERVES 4 TO 6

TIME: 80 MINUTES, LOTS OF IT INACTIVE

If we ever decided to drop out of cookbook-writing society completely and become surfer dudettes, we would eat these amazing tacos every single day, without even bothering to change out of our wet suits first. Beer and chile-marinated tempeh is first slapped onto the grill (or fried in a cast-iron pan), then lovingly stuffed into steamy corn tortillas, topped with a bright and tangy mayo-free coleslaw, and drenched with luscious lime crema dressing. It’s a perfect, light, summer meal, or even if you just want to pretend it’s summer. Best served with an ice-cold Mexican beer.

➣There are a few components to this recipe that need to marinate for about an hour each—half hour if you’re desperate—but putting these together is a snap. Better yet, make the slaw (save some time and look for preshredded cabbage in the produce aisle) and marinate the tempeh overnight for best results. More than likely, you’ll have marinade and slaw to spare, so why not marinate an additional batch of steamed tempeh while you’re at it?

➣Use Sour Cilantro Cream (page 209) in place of the lime crema. Thin it out slightly with additional lime juice or soy milk so that it’s the consistency of a thick salad dressing.

➣Leftover tempeh, lime crema, and garnishes make an amazing “taco” salad served with salad greens and crunchy tortilla chip strips.

Taco slaw: 3 heaping cups finely shredded purple or white cabbage (10-12 ounces), or a mix of both

1 carrot, shredded finely

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 pickled jalapeños, diced finely

1 teaspoon salt

A few twists of freshly ground black pepper

For the Lime Crema: ¾ cup plain soy yogurt

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or avocado oil

⅓ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

½ teaspoon salt

Chile-Beer Marinade: ¾ cup beer, pilsner or ale style (Mexican preferred)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

2-3 teaspoons chile powder (premixed or mix your own with ancho, poblano or chipotle powders)

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh

12-16 soft, white corn tortillas

Garnishes (use one or more): Red radishes, sliced paper thin

Fresh tomato, seeded and diced

Pickled jalapeños, sliced

Your favorite Mexican-style hot sauce

Avocado, sliced or diced

PREPARE THE slaw first: Mix all the ingredients well in a large glass or plastic bowl; don’t use metal. Either leave in the bowl or transfer to narrower, cylindrical container, such as a 1-pint plastic takeout container. Cover the top of the container loosely with plastic wrap, press it down on top of slaw, and place in fridge. Weight down the slaw with something heavy, such as cans of beans or a full pickle jar. Allow the slaw to press for minimum an hour. Slaw improves the longer it’s allowed to mellow. When ready to use, squeeze out handfuls to release any excess juice.

Make the lime crema:

Blend all ingredients in a blender until creamy and smooth. Add more salt or limejuice to taste, if desired. Pour into an airtight container and chill for an hour.

Make the marinade:

Whisk all the ingredients together and pour into a glass pie plate or casserole dish.

Prepare the tempeh:

Bring a 2-quart pot of water to a boil. Slice the tempeh into three pieces lengthwise, then slice each in half horizontally through the middle. When the water is boiling, add the