I recently dined at Millenium restaurant in San Francisco and let me tell you - it was unfathomably tasty. I've been thinking about the meal ever since, sometimes multiple times a day. One of the most memorable dishes was a black miso glazed tempeh. I have historically disliked tempeh -- too beany and bitter -- but this was to die for. I've been meaning to try to recreate the dish since - and this attempt was wildly successful. While it wasn't quite millenium caliber, but definitely worth a holy shit or two.
The trick to make tempeh not taste bad (and its really that polar for me) is to essentially parboil it. Cut it into your desired shapes: my preference is cutting the block in half height-wise, making your tempeh half as thick, then cutting into fancy triangles. That might not make sense but it truly is irrelevant. Steam or boil the tempeh for 8-10 minutes. Then drain the water and marinate the partially cooked bean blob in the following deliciousness:
(This is for one 8 oz package of tempeh):
2 T miso (I prefer mellow white)
2 T maple syrup
2 T toasted seasame oil
2 T water
1 t sriracha
1 t soy sauce
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t paprika
1 clove garlic, minced
Let marinate overnight, or a while. Bake at 361F (or whatever) for 10-15 mins. Enjoy the awesomeness.
And if you ever get a chance, eat at Millenium (make a reservation).
