Vegetarian Braised Seitan and Vegetables
Seitan is Wheat Gluten which has been developed through careful kneading and boiling in broth. Braising Seitan in Ariel Rouge and herbal aromatics in your vegetarian kitchen will ramp up this versatile vegetarian protein to a company perfect Seitan and Vegetables in Wine Sauce which will definitely bring smiles to the dinner table.
What is Seitan or Wheat Gluten? It is also called wheat meat, gluten meat, or simply gluten, and it is a food that has been made from the protein of the wheat. Although not as well known, it is an extremely high protein alternative to tofu and soy based meat-substitutes. Seitan has a texture much more like that of flesh foods than tofu, because of its chewy texture. It is often used in place of meat in Asian, as well as vegetarian and macrobiotic cuisines.
Popular in China, where it was first developed, as well as in the cuisines of other Asian nations, it is commonly found on the menus of restaurants catering primarily to Buddhist and Hindu patrons who do not eat meat, and has also become widely used by Vegetarians here in the United States. Traditionally it is made by kneading the flour with a small amount of RO Water* and washing the dough while kneading it submerged in fresh water, changing the water repeatedly, until all of the starch dissolves and is washed away, leaving the protein as a malleable mass. It is then cut into chunks and boiled in a vegetable stock which has been infused with Tamari, Bay Leaf and a piece of Kombu. It is cooked in the broth until it rises to the top of the kettle as any dumpling will when fully prepared.
Luckily, it is also available already prepared and ready to use in a wide variety of forms in Health Food Stores and Oriental Ethnic Shops, which is a huge savings in time and effort.
To prepare our Braised Seitan and Vegetables in Wine Sauce you will need:
2 Bottles Ariel Non-Alcoholic Rouge, one divided in half for the braising, the other half for the sauce itself, and the other bottle for service with the meal.
Pour ½ Bottle Ariel Rouge into a separate sauce pan and reduce on medium high heat to a syrupy consistency
¼ Cup Flour
1 tsp Granulated Onion
1 tsp Granulated Garlic
¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Szeged Paprika
2 tsp. Sea Salt
¼ tsp. Freshly ground Black Pepper
2 packages Prepared Vege Beef Chunk
(or 14 oz. Seitan cut into bite sized pieces)
1 12 oz. package Crimini Mushrooms quartered
4 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 package Baby Carrots
2 pounds whole peeled Baby Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes 1
Parsnip peeled and cut into slices
6 small whole peeled Onions
2 Cloves Garlic sliced
2 Stalks Celery Rough Chopped
2 Sprigs Parsley
3 Bay Leaf
2 Sprigs Marjoram
Leaves of 2 Sprigs Silver Thyme
2 Tbs. Frontier Vegetarian Chicken Stock Powder mixed with
½ Bottle Ariel Non-Alcoholic Rouge
1 tsp. Tamari or Shoyu
Dredge the Vege Beef Chunk in the dry ingredient mixture
Brown in the Olive Oil along with the Mushrooms
Add the Vegetables tossing in the oil lightly
Add the other half of the bottle of wine and the No Chicken Stock
Simmer covered in the pan for an hour, an hour to an hour and a half turning occasionally until the liquid has reduced and the vegetables are glazed and tender
Remove the bay leaf
Adjust the seasoning
Plate and garnish with the wine reduction and sprigs of fresh herbs
Serve with a crisp salad of Spring-Greens, Radish and Baby
Cucumber slices with Blue Cheese Dressing and glasses of Ariel Rouge
Vegetarian Seitan Wellington with Ariel Non-Alcoholic Rouge Reduction
Wrapped in a flaky pastry, Vegetarian Seitan Wellington with Ariel Rouge Reduction is a superb and festive treatment of Seitan which will bring you accolades in your vegetarian kitchen.
Popular in China, where it was first developed, as well as in the cuisine of other Asian nations, Seitan is commonly found on the menus of restaurants catering primarily to Buddhist and Hindu patrons who do not eat meat, and has also become widely used by Vegetarians here in the United States. It is made by kneading the flour with a small amount of RO Water* and washing the dough while kneading it submerged in fresh water, changing it repeatedly, until all of the starch dissolves and is washed away, leaving the protein as a malleable mass. It is then cut into chunks and boiled in a vegetable stock which has been infused with Tamari, Bay Leaf and a piece of Kombu. It is cooked in the broth until it rises to the top of the kettle as any dumpling will when fully prepared. Cool the product before storing it in the refrigerator. It will last up to a full week without further preparation and it freezes well.
Luckily, it is also available prepared and ready to use in a wide variety of forms in Health Food Stores and Oriental Ethnic Shops, which is a huge savings in time and effort.
2 Bottles Ariel Non-Alcoholic Rouge one of which is for service with the meal one of which is divided half for the wine reduction and half for the broth
1 Cup Vital Wheat Gluten Flour
2 Tbs. Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbs. All Purpose Flour
½ Cup Cold RO Water*
¼ Cup Shoyu or Tamari
½ Tbs. Amore Double Concentrated Tomato Paste
½ Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic minced
½ tsp. Lemon Zest
⅛ tsp. Celery Seed Ground
⅛ tsp. each Dried Thyme, Basil and Marjoram
Broth
6 Cups very cold R.O. Water
1 3 -4 inch piece Kombu
½ Cup Shoyu or Tamari
1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary
3 Fresh Bay Leaves
½ Bottle Ariel Rouge
1 Onion
2 Organic Carrots peeled and cut into small chunks
2 Pounds Field Mushrooms Sautéed in Garlic and Earth Balance
2 Tbs. minced Bouquet Garni
Wine Reduction
½ Bottle Ariel Rouge
Wine Reduction
Place ½ Bottle Ariel Rouge in a sauce pan over medium high heat and reduce to a thickened syrup
Seitan itself:
Place all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients
Mix thoroughly by hand and knead until smooth and elastic
Cut into chunks
Cook in the simmering broth until they pop up to the surface
Remove to a wire rack over a baking tray
Grind the Seitan, Carrot and Onion together with the Bouquet Garni and ½ Cup Sautéed Mushrooms
Form into a loaf
Wrap in plastic and chill for an hour
Wellington’s Flaky Pastry
To prepare the Wellington’s flaky pastry you’ll need
4 Cups + 2 Tbs. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 tsp. Sea Salt finely ground
1¼Cup Earth Balance Margarine cut into cubes
2½ Tbs. Tahini and enough chilled RO Water to make 2/3 Cup
Using a pastry cutter, cut the Earth Balance into the whole wheat pastry flour and sea salt leaving smallish chunks of the margarine (The more finely you process the flour/margarine mixture the less flaky the pastry will be)
Using a fork slowly add the chilled Tahini Water mixture to the flour to form a dough (Handle as little as possible)
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least half an hour
Roll out on a floured board to a 13 X 11 rectangle
Place the chilled Wellington Seitan Loaf on one edge of the rolled out pastry
Top with remaining mushrooms
Wrap the pastry around the loaf sealing the edges and perforating the top of the pastry with a pastry roller docker or fork to allow the steam to escape
Decorating the top with pastry bits
Brush with a glaze of cornstarch and RO Water
Bake at 350° in a preheated oven until the pastry is golden – approximately forty five minutes
Plate carefully onto a platter using two long spatulas
Garnish with the wine reduction and fresh herbs reserving a portion of the wine reduction for serving on each plate
Serve with Potatoes Dauphin, Maple Glazed Carrots and Asparagus as well as Ariel Non-Alcoholic Rouge or Pinot Noir.
Enjoy!