Braised Tempeh with Mushrooms and Apple Carrot Purée

Method

Dice the tempeh, lay the cubes on a plate and drizzle them with half of the tamari and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Soak the dried mushrooms in a cup of lukewarm water with 4 tablespoons of plant-based milk.

Meanwhile, wash, trim and cut the apple and the carrot into chunks. Place them in a steamer basket over 3 cm of cold water with 1 bay leaf and steam for 20 minutes. Then blend them with a hand blender, drizzling in 5 tablespoons of oil to emulsify.

Finely chop the fennel (keep the fronds aside for decoration), drain and squeeze the mushrooms and chop them roughly. Peel and chop the garlic. In a wok, sauté the garlic with the mushrooms and fennel for 5 minutes, add the tempeh, deglaze with the remaining tamari and then with the white wine. Add the chopped herbs and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

Serve the purée at room temperature and the braised tempeh hot, garnished with a few fennel fronds and, if you like, some slices of dried fennel (in the oven: 12 hours at 50°C; in a dehydrator: 24 hours at 40°C).