Seitan Scaloppine with Lemon-Olive Sauce

I used Imagine Foods’ No-Chicken Broth to mimic the taste of chicken, but any vegetable broth may be used.

1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon basil
3/4 cup Imagine No-Chicken Broth (or other vegetable broth)
2 tablespoons tahini or cashew butter

1 tablespoon unbleached flour
1 lemon, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed slightly
10 green olives, pitted and sliced
1 1/4 cups No-Chicken Broth
2-3 tablespoons white wine or vermouth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper
additional vegetable broth, as necessary

Tear off 4 pieces of aluminum foil about 10 inches long. (See tips below for a foil-free way of making the scaloppine). Begin heating water in a steamer.

In a large bowl, mix the vital wheat gluten with the nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, and basil. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the broth and tahini (or cashew butter). Stir the wet mixture into the dry until well blended. Knead gently 10 times. Quickly divide dough into 4 equal pieces.

Take a piece of dough and shape and flatten it into a thin oval cutlet. Place it on a sheet of foil, a little higher than center. Fold the bottom of the foil over to meet the top, and then fold the two edges over about 1/2 inch to form a seam. Continue folding the foil by half inches until it reaches just above the cutlet. Flatten the cutlet down a little more, and then fold the left and right edges in the same way until the packet is snug around the cutlet. Repeat with all pieces of dough.

Place the packets flat into the steamer and cover. Steam for 25 minutes. Keep packets sealed until you’re ready to use them.

Spray a non-stick skillet (or some other non-iron skillet) with olive oil. Begin heating it as you prepare a plate containing the flour sprinkled with a little salt and pepper. Once the skillet is hot, unwrap each cutlet and lightly dredge each side in the flour and then place in the skillet. Cook until brown and then turn over and brown other side. Remove to a plate.

(If you’d rather not use any oil at all, skip the flouring of the cutlets and just brown them alone. Your sauce may not thicken unless you add a little flour to it later.)

Add the garlic and lemon slices to the pan. Cook until the lemon slices have softened, 2-3 minutes, and then remove them from the pan, leaving the garlic. Add the olives, broth, wine, and lemon juice and cook on medium heat until the liquid starts to reduce. Remove the garlic, add salt and pepper to taste, and return the cutlets to the pan. Turn them over to coat with the sauce. Simmer briefly to warm them through, and if the sauce becomes too thick, add a little broth to thin. Stir in the parsley, and remove the cutlets to plates. Spoon some sauce over each cutlet and garnish with lemon slices.

Tips for Moister Cutlets:

I found two different tricks that resulted in a cutlet that was a little moister. Unfortunately, one of them requires an extra step, simmering the seitan in broth for a few minutes after it comes out of the steamer. If you’d like to do this, just put the cutlets in a skillet, add broth to about halfway over them, and simmer, turning, for 3-5 minutes. The cutlets will absorb a lot of the broth, so be ready to add more as necessary. Once they’re done, remove them from the broth and proceed with the recipe.

No extra step is required for the other technique; in fact, it’s simpler than the original recipe, though you will need a large steamer and plates that will fit inside it. Instead of wrapping the cutlets in foil, place them on the largest plate that will fit in your steamer. (If you have a double-level steamer, you can place two cutlets on smaller plates on each level.) Cover with an inverted plate of the same size, to keep water from dripping directly onto your cutlets. Steam for 25 minutes. Your cutlets will be a little lighter in color but will have a moister texture. This is my preferred way of making these cutlets!

Makes 4 servings.

Mozzarella Stuffed Portobellos — Michael Chiarello

mush

  • 12 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed and gills removed
  • 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Sea salt, preferably gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan
  • 4 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
  • 4 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
  • 12 (1/2-inch) slices fresh mozzarella, roughly 1 to 1 1/2-ounces per slice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the portabellas in the balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup of olive oil, gray salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the mushrooms on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.

While the mushrooms are cooling mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, herbs and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.

Place 1 slice (2 if the mushrooms are large) of mozzarella in the cupped side of each mushroom. Distribute the bread and herb mixture evenly over the mushrooms and return to the oven to roast for 5 to 6 minutes or until the mozzarella is molten and the bread and herb topping a nice golden brown. Serve either hot or at room temperature and enjoy.

Mushroom Ragout

2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh sage, minced
6 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
8 ounces porcini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
8 ounces shitake mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. corn starch dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water (try flour instead of corn starch)
2tbsp. parsley

In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the minced garlic. Stir over medium heat until slightly golden. Add the onion, shallots and sage, and stir until the onion is softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add all the mushrooms and the soy sauce. Continue cooking until the liquid from the mushrooms cooks off, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Add the starch mixture and boil for 1 or 2 minutes more, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste and parsley. Serve over toast points as an appetizer, over rice or pasta as a main course.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Country Shrimp with Tomato and Okra – Savannah Seasons


2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces prosciutto — minced
1/2 cupleek — sliced
1/2 cup scallion — minced
4 tablespoons garlic — minced
2 tablespoons thyme — fresh
2 cups okra — small
or if larger cut into 1″ slices
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoonscorn starch
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg — freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds shrimp — peeled and deveined
1/4 cup oregano — fresh and minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups tomatoes — diced juice included

In a large saute pan, warm the oil over high heat. Add the ham and brown well. Add the leek, scallion, 2 tablespoons of the garlic, the thyme, and okra, and saute, stirring, until the okra is bright green, about 4 minutes.

Remove to a large plate and cool.

In the same large skillet over high heat, melt the butter. In a large bowl, stir together the cornstarch, nutmeg, and pepper and toss with the shrimp. Slide the shrimp into the skillet and saute, stirring, until the shrimp are half pink. Add the remaining garlic, the oregano, lemon juice, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and combine with the cooked okra. Simmer just to reheat the okra.  Serves 6

Recipe Notes

9/24/12–Terry Pogue
This years version: I used bacon lardons instead of the ham, shallot instead of leeks, canned diced Muir Glen Tomatoes. Ground thyme, because I really like the flavor of thyme to pop and the juice from a half a juicy lemon… probably lightly more than called for in the recipe. I served it with steamed brown rice tonight. In the past I’ve also served it with soft polenta.

Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf

Robin Robertson’s Vegan on the Cheap

  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 ribs celery
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans (or other white beans), drained and rinsed
  • 14 ounces extra-firm tofu (one 14 to 16-ounce package)
  • 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon spicy brown or whole-grain prepared mustard
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon rubbed sage
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaf
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  • 3/4 cup quinoa flakes or quick oatmeal
  1. Wash a medium sweet potato (about 7 ounces), pierce it several times with a fork, wrap it in a paper towel, and microwave until done, 4-5 minutes. (Alternately, bake or steam the sweet potato.) Allow to cool enough to handle and then peel and set aside.
  2. Mince the onion, celery, and carrot. You can do this quickly by cutting each vegetable in quarters and then pulsing in a food processor until finely chopped.
  3. Heat a large, non-stick skillet. Add the minced vegetables, including garlic, and cook, stirring regularly, until they become tender, about 6-10 minutes. Add water by the teaspoon if necessary to keep the vegetables from sticking or becoming dry. Once they’re softened, add the drained beans and mash them lightly with a slotted spoon or spatula.
  4. Place the peeled sweet potato into the food processor along with the tofu, soy sauce, and all seasonings, including nutritional yeast. Process until fairly smooth. Add the walnuts and pulse a few more times. Scrape the tofu mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the quinoa flakes and the cooked vegetables. Stir well.
  5. Preheat oven to 375F. If you have a silicone baking mat (recommended) place it on a baking sheet. Otherwise line the baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray. Spoon the tofu mixture onto the prepared baking surface, using dampened hands to shape it into an oblong or oval loaf about 2 1/2 inches high. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is evenly browned. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and cook for 20 more minutes. Check to make sure that the center is firm; if not, give it a little extra time. (You can also remove the foil and cook for 5 more minutes for a crunchier crust.) Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serving Suggestion: Serve alone or with Mushroom Gravy on the side.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s) | Cooking time: 1 hour(s) 5 minute(s)

Scone pie — Amy Voigt

Make a shell 9″ or smaller depending on amount of filling you make either our of bisquick or the following:

1 1/2c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3c. shortening

Stir in 1 beaten  egg and 1/2c milk.  Roll out a bit larger than pan to be used.  Bake 15 min at 425 or until done.

Filling
1/2 lb ground beef(faux beef), brown and drain off fat.  add some chopped onion and green pepper, some salt and stir in 1/4c flour.  Mix well, it thickens.  add 1/2 c sour cream and 1 c water, add worchestershire sauce 1 tsp or more to taste, a little bit of kitchen bouquet for color and mushrooms, cook until onion and peppers are soft and mushrooms are cooked.  Fill pie shell and cut into wedges.

Pasties — Kathy Luzmoor

Crust
mix until crumbly
6c. flour
2 tsp salt
2c. shortening

Add 2 c. water, mix to make a soft dough, may add flour as needed.

Filling
6 potatoes, diced
8 carrots, diced
1 rutabaga, diced
4 med. onions, diced

Season with salt and pepper & Lawrys.  Then add to 2 lbs lean ground beef. Mix to combine ingredients.

Roll crust, place 1 generous c. filling on one end, dot with butter, fold crust over, seal.  Brush with milk and egg mixture, puncture with fork.

Bake at 400 for 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are done.

Make 12-14 10″ pasties

Tuna noodle cassserole – Blake

1½ small onions; divided use
2 large carrots; chopped fine
3 sticks celery; strings removed, chopped fine
2 12-oz-cans tuna
1 qt milk 12 oz mushrooms;
sliced 8-9 oz egg noodles; or your choice of pasta
½ cup panko or crushed potato chips
salt,
pepper,
flour,
butter

Slice the mushrooms and mince half of the onion. Start the onion in some butter and get it almost to the point of carmelization then dump in the mushrooms. Sauté over medium-high heat until substantially reduced in volume. (I did this a day or so before doing the final recipe so haven’t tried to incorporate it into the timeline.) Dice the whole onion and prepare the carrots and celery. Warm the milk or let it come to room temperature. Steam the carrots and celery and, meanwhile, sauté the onion in lots of butter or olive oil. When the onion is translucent, add about 1/3 cup of flour and stir it for a while. Add the milk and bring to a boil then cut it back to med low heat. Add the mushroom mixture and stir. Taste for salt and pepper. If it doesn’t thicken enough, mix some olive oil and flour and add enough to get it thickened properly. Add the carrots and celery. Have the noodles about halfway cooked and add them and the tuna and mix thoroughly. Pour into a 9×13 pan and cover with the panko or chips. Put into a 375ºF (190ºC) oven for about twenty minutes.

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes — Ina

  • 1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
  • Kosher salt
  • Olive oil
  • 1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
  • 3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

  • 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, diced
  • 1 teaspoon capers, drained
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

Coquilles Saint Jacques–Laura Calder, French Food at Home

photo from article

Scallops
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound/450 g scallops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Duxelles
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces/250 g mushrooms
2 shallots, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup125 ml white wine
1/2 cup/125 ml fish stock
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
Lemon juice, to taste

Topping
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Prepare the scallops: Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear 1 minute per side, to brown. Do not cook completely. Set aside.

To make the duxelles: Melt the butter in a large saute pan until foaming. Add the shallot and saute until soft. Add the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and the pan is dry, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and stir through the parsley.

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in the saute pan until foaming. Add the shallot and cook until soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Whisk in the wine and boil down by half. Add the stock and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche. Check the seasonings, adding salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if needed.

To assemble the dish: Heat the oven to broil with the oven rack at the top. Lay 6 large scallop shells or individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Divide the mushroom mixture among the shells. Arrange six scallops on each, then spoon over the sauce. For the topping, scatter over the parsley and breadcrumbs, drizzle over the melted butter, and broil until golden and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.