holiday sandwich

I'm a sucker for complete meal type of sandwiches, as demonstrated by my Thanksgiving Burger, a recipe from 2014. Since the holidays are around the corner, what better way to start the celebration than with this easy to make Holiday Sandwich:

It might look a bit much, but it really is easy to put together. The patty is made of mushrooms and chickpeas as the base. It doesn't include any binding, but it stays together relatively well. It dries out and because the acorn squash is very moist, together, they work in harmony.

A few spices and dark miso help to keep this burger from falafel-ville. It is decidedly not a falafel.

You process all the ingredients in a food processor, form into patties and bake them with the acorn squash. The timing is about the same and because you don't peel the squash, the process is easy.

There is nothing more on the squash than salt and pepper because the flavor is in the patties.

This sandwich needs some crunch, so I tossed thin onion slices with cornstarch/arrowroot and air-fried it until crisp. I did add a few sprays of oil to help it brown, but it is nothing like deep frying them.

The sauce. It is so simple and so delicious! It is Cranberry Aioli and it is the bomb. Just mix together cranberry sauce and vegan mayonnaise or vegan yogurt and liberally add to the sandwich. It is tangy and sweet but creamy and rich. Don't skip it.

And because no holiday is complete without something green, this sandwich features steamed kale. A crusty bread or roll and you are in business, my friend.

Photo by Caitlin Galer-Unti from The Vegan Word.com

Speaking of holidays, gift-giving season is almost here and it is time to start planning. Caitlin from The Vegan Word has amassed an amazingly thorough list of vegan gift ideas. I truly am impressed! Take a look for yourself.

Holiday Sandwich
Makes 4 servings

Patties:
1 3/4 cups or 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
3 ounces of trimmed shiitake mushrooms (trimmed of stems)
1 tablespoon dark miso
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon onion granules
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sage

Onions:
1 medium onion, sliced very thin
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
Oil spray, as needed

Sauce:
1/4 cup cranberry sauce
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise or plain nondairy yogurt

Other:
Sea salt and black pepper
1 medium acorn squash, cut into 4 sections
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and finely chopped
4 crusty rolls, split


1. Patties: Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Combine the chickpeas, mushrooms, miso, yeast, onion, garlic, thyme and sage in a food processor. Process until finely ground. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form into patties about the size of your rolls. Transfer to a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Add the squash quarters to the pan and season with salt and black pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the patties and the squash and bake for another 20 minutes. If the squash is tender remove it from the pan. Continue to bake the patties for another 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and hold together fairly well. 
2. Onions: Combine the onion, starch and spray with oil. Transfer to the basket of an air-fryer and cook until semi-crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Shake the basket after every 5 minutes and make sure not to burn. The onions will become crispy after they sit for a minute off the heat.
3. Sauce: Combine the cranberry sauce and mayo. Mix well. Set aside. 
4. Steam the kale until very tender and toast the rolls. Season the kale with salt and pepper.
5. Assemble the sandwich by spreading the bottom and top with the aioli. Add kale, a patty. Scoop out the squash from the shells and add one to the sandwich. Top with onions and serve. 


© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

classic philly roast sandwich

By now we are all familiar with the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, the popular sandwich made with cow parts, cheese-whiz and, sometimes, onion and pepper. I made that sandwich cruelty-free back in 2012 and it is one heck of a great eat. That one comes complete with SteaK Seitan and cheese sauce; I encourage you to go make it as soon as possible.

But, less know is its cousin, Philly's Roast Pork Sandwich. Quite curiously, it turns out that locally this is the more popular of the two, and it is this week's Great Sandwich Remake.

Taking a closer look, traditionally, it is roast pig, topped with provolone cheese and garlicky broccoli rabe (rapini) and roasted or pickled long hots or peppers. Rapini is in the brasssica family and is delightfully bitter. Not to mention, difficult to locate at time. Fear not, I offer you a sub in the recipe.

My kinder version of this sandwich, Philly Roast Sandwich with Provolone and Rapini, is made using seasoned portobello mushrooms. The mushrooms are roasted tightly covered, to retain moisture and flavor, which gives it a tender, yet toothsome-ness texture that this savory sandwich requires.

To get started, we need a good seasoning mixture and a few classic recipes I found use Montreal Steak Seasoning. Since I already have the ingredients to make the seasoning, I see no need to run out and buy some especially labeled that. It only requires paprika, peppercorns, garlic, onion, red chili flakes, salt and coriander. If you want to get fancy and toast the coriander and peppercorns, go for it; I just added everything to my Magic Bullet and buzzed it.

Use a spoon to scrape the gills from the mushrooms, coat with the mustard mixture (we need to add flavor wherever possible) and sprinkle with the seasoning mix. Add a few sprigs of fresh herbs (required are Rosemary and thyme), cover very, very well, and roast for 45 minutes.

Because the moisture is trapped in the pan, the mushrooms braise and roast, leaving a very flavorful and moist sandwich filling. Traditionally the roast sandwich is garnished with au jus because the meat is dry, but the way we cooked the mushrooms that is not an issue, so no au jus is needed.

Slice the mushrooms very thin (about 1/4-inch) and make your cheese sauce (or buy Follow Your Heart Provolone Slices.) Since the classic sandwich has aged, sharp provolone, I decided to make it instead.

My new cookbook, Aquafaba, has 2 cheese recipes in it, so I have become very familiar with cheese flavors and I decided to go for it and make it myslef. For the base I used                   
Somer McCowan's Moxarella recipe and added a few "sharp" ingredients. Somer is also the author of The Abundance Diet, which is a pretty terrific book.

The cheese recipe is really very easy and quick to make, so head over there to get the directions (the recipe is toward the bottom of the post) and then use these adjusted ingredients:

Sharp Provolone-style Moxarella Cheese:

1 cup soymilk or almond milk (unsweetened and plain)
1/4 cup drained (for 24 hours) homemade yogurt or store-bought unsweetened, plain yogurt
2 teaspoons white or chickpea miso
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup raw cashews
3 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vegan lactic acid (if you have it)

Directions: are HERE on Somer's blog. Add everything to a blender and blend until smooth.


As for the garlicky greens, they are a must! If you can't find rapini, use 1/2 spinach and 1/2 arugula or kale. Don't skimp on the garlic! The mushroom has limited garlic flavor, so the added garlic in the greens adds more flavor. Toast your bun, add the mushroom and cheese and broil until golden. Then top with the greens and peppers and you have this gorgeous delicious sandwich::

Classic Philly Roast Sandwich with Provolone and Rapini
Makes 4 sandwiches

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
6 medium portobello mushrooms (or 4 portobellos and 8 ounces creminis)
2 tablespoons Montreal Seasoning Mix (homemade or store-bought)
1 sprig fresh rosemary
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large red bell pepper or 2 to 3 long hots
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large bunch rapini or 1 bunch spinach and 1 bunch arugula
Salt and black pepper
4 kaiser or hoagie rolls
4 Vegan Provolone slices or Moxarella, provolone-style (see above)

1. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees F. Combine 2 tablespoons of oil, the mustard and nutritional yeast in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside. Remove the stems and scrape the gills from the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet, gill-side down, and spread all over with the mustard mixture. If using creminis, spread the mixture on the caps. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the spice mixture. Remove the leaves from the rosemary and thyme and add to the mushrooms. Cover the pan with parchment paper and then tightly cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes.   
2. Chop the peppers into 1/2-inch thick slices. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the peppers. Cook, stirring only after the peppers have begun charring. Season with salt and pepper and cook until crisp-tender. Set aside. 
3. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat in the skillet and add the garlic. Cook until golden, stirring often. Add the greens and stir well using tongs. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, but still bright green. If cooking rapini, add 1/4 cup water or vegetable broth, cover the pan and cook until tender. Remove and set aside.
4. When the mushrooms are ready, remove them from the pan and cut into thin slices. Split and toast the rolls. Divide the mushrooms among the rolls, add cheese and broil until the cheese is melted and browning. Top with the rapini and peppers and serve. 


© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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veganmofo - local dish + baja tacos

Day 17 #vgnmf15: what is a traditional local dish? We're in San Diego, very close to the Mexican border; in fact, it is only a cool 30 minute drive, therefore, tacos - specifically, fish tacos - are one of the most traditional local dishes.

At the risk of featuring a second taco dish after the Sin Carne Asada Tacos, I say unto you that my local dish is fish tacos.

When I say fish tacos, a lot of people think of a tempura-ish fried fish, but the more traditional fish tacos here, most famously Baja Tacos, are marinated and grilled and served with cabbage, lime and crema, which is a thick cream, not quite as thick as sour cream.

I used tempeh and lobster mushrooms to make these tacos, but using only tempeh with a little bit of dulse seaweed is also good. Or you can use oyster mushrooms instead of lobster mushrooms and tempeh.

Preheat your grill and cook the marinated protein until lightly charred to get a nice smoky flavor and authentic grilled texture.

The vegan crema is nothing more than vegan sour cream mixed with a little lime juice and salt. You can also serve these with Guacamole, with or without the crema. After you marinate the tempeh, the dish comes together quickly and is a great option for an easy meal when you get home from wherever.

Baja Tacos
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Marinade:
4 dried ancho chiles
4 California chiles (also known as dried Anaheim peppers)
1 ½ ounces dried lobster mushrooms
8 ounces tempeh, cut into slices or wedges
½ medium onion, cut into ½-inch slices
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Sea salt and black pepper
¼ cup water
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 onions, cut into ¾ -inch thick rings

Other:
Small (3-inch) corn tortillas, as needed
Guacamole, recipe below (optional)
Crema, recipe below
Thin slices of cabbage
Scallions, minced
Pickled jalapenos
Cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

1. Marinade: Remove the stems and most of the seeds of the chiles. Heat the chiles in a pan (or grill pan)  until soft and lightly colored. Transfer to a bowl along with the dried mushrooms and tempeh and cover with hot water. Set aside to rehydrate for 20 minutes and drain. Transfer the tempeh and mushrooms to a bowl.
2. Cook the onions and garlic in the skillet used for the chiles and cook until lightly charred. Transfer the onion to a blender. Peel the garlic and transfer to the blender. Add the drained chiles, water, olive oil, lime juice and salt and black pepper, to taste. Blend until smooth. Add the marinade to the tempeh and mushrooms, mix well and set aside to marinate, at least 20 minutes.
3. Heat your grill or grill pan. Grill the mushrooms and tempeh, basting with the sauce as needed, until lightly charred, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a work surface and coarsely chop. Heat the tortillas on the grill, about 30 seconds to 1 minutes. 
4. Place two tortillas on top of each other and fill with cabbage, protein, crema and toppings of choice. Squeeze fresh lime juice on the tacos and enjoy.

Guacamole
5 medium ripe Hass avocado, mashed 
1 small ripe tomato, diced
3/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 to 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and black pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl using a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper and lime juice.

Crema
½ cup vegan sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon unsweetened plain vegan milk, if needed to thin
Sea salt

1. Combine the sour cream, juice and salt, to taste, in a small bowl. Taste and add more lime juice or salt as needed. Add the milk to think if needed. Transfer the crema to a squirt bottle and use as needed.



 © 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

marengo bowl

Because Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N) is so close to release (September 15!), I can't seem to get bowl dishes off my mind. Although this recipe, Marengo Bowl, is not in the book, creating more and more bowl foods these days seems to be my norm as they are easy, complete - in terms of starch, vegetable and protein - and convenient.

I am a sucker for re-creating classic recipes as authentically as is vegan-ly possible, and Marengo is no exception to this self-imposed rule.

Legend has it that Chicken Marengo was created to celebrate Napoleon's Battle of Marengo in the 1800's. After the victory, Napoleon's chef searched the village for ingredients fit for his highness and found chicken, eggs, crayfish, tomato and wine. Napoleon loved the dish so much that he insisted on eating it before each battle, believing it would bring him good luck.

So the legend goes. How much truth there is in the story is debated by historians, but the dish does exist and I am here to make it into a vegan culinary dream.

The most difficult aspect of this dish to veganize is the fried egg, which is served sunny side up as the egg yolk adds a "sauce" to the chicken stew. I decided to use a quick vegan Hollandaise sauce to add that extra sauciness and flavor.

While the mushrooms (if we are to believe the original tale) were added much later, it has become synonymous with Marengo. In addition to regular mushrooms in the stew itself, I decided to add grilled trumpet mushrooms (also know as king oyster mushrooms) because they are substantial and have a light reminiscence of seafood flavor - not as much as the regular oyster mushrooms, but very adequate in replacing the crayfish, or shrimp that is a popular addition these days. If unavailable, use protobellos.

Get the recipe below and don't forget to enter to win Kittee Berns' amazing Ethiopian cookbook, Teff Love, HERE.

Marengo Bowl

Serves 4

Hollandaise: 3 tablespoons vegan mayo 2 tablespoons unsweetened plain vegan milk 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon dijon mustard ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric Pinch cayenne Sea salt and ground black pepper Sautee: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, sliced thin 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 garlic cloves, sliced ½ teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon dried oregano 1 bay leaf 8 ounces crimini or button mushrooms, quartered 1 cup dry marsala or sherry 1 (15 - 18 ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand ½ cup water ½ cup sliced black olives Grill: 4 trumpet (or king oyster) mushrooms, trimmed and cut into ½-inch thick slices 2 teaspoons olive oil Cooked rice, as needed 2 tablespoons minced parsley. 1. Hollandaise: Combine the mayo, milk, juice, mustard, turmeric and cayenne in a small microwave-safe bowl. Whip with a whisk to combine and season with salt and black pepper. When needed, warm in a microwave in 20 second intervals until heated through. 2. Sautee: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, chickpeas, garlic, thyme, oregano, bay and season with salt and black pepper. Cover and cook until the onions and chickpeas are lightly golden, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the onion and beans and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, water and reserved onions and beans and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes. Add the olives and a 2 to 3 tablespoons of water if the sautee is too dry. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 3. Grill: Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Combine the trumpet mushrooms, olive oil and salt and black pepper, to taste, in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Grill the mushrooms until tender, 3 minutes per side in the covered grill pan. turning the mushrooms a quarter turn after 2 minutes. 4. Assembly: Serve the sauce over the cooked rice in shallow bowls. Garnish with a few slices of grilled mushrooms, hollandaise sauce and parsley. Serve.

© 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

roasted zucchini and mushroom pilaf bowl from "vegan bowls" + #1

These are a few of my favorite things...about Vegan Bowls:

Over the next few weeks, I will share with you my most favorite aspects of my new cookbook, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N).

#1. 
This first aspect simply has to be at the top of my list. You might think that number one is how wonderful the recipes are (which they are!) or how fast a complete meal can be to make (which it can be!), but, in fact, it is a simple thing that a lot of modern cookbooks don't have: no cross-referencing recipes.

There are no recipes within recipes, except for convenience ingredients such as seitan and curry paste.

That is correct - you can cook a complete meal without having to prepare another recipe first. It really bears repeating:

Complete meals without the need for secondary recipes.

I own my share of super amazing cookbooks, written by some super amazing authors, but the nitty-gritty is that either recipes-within-recipes are required or the recipes themselves are not complete meals unto themselves.

Certainly, a few exceptions are of note, such as dinner salads, a few casseroles and soups, but even then, most need supplemental components to make them a complete meal.

I took great care in making sure that all the recipes in this volume are stand-alone and need no other sub-recipes.

Of course, for your convenience, I have included a few basic recipes for ease, economy and superior flavor, but no basic recipe is a "requirement" for making any of the bowls in the book.

While I include recipes for seitan, vegetable broth, red curry paste and tortillas, they can be store-bought and need not be home-made.

I know how important it is to see the Table of Contents of cookbooks before you purchase one, therefore, over the next few weeks I will be sharing the contents of Vegan Bowls with you, chapter by chapter. Below is the content of the grains chapter:

Today I am sharing with you the recipe for one of my favorite bowls in book: Roasted Zucchini and Mushroom Pilaf Bowl. Pilaf has been one of my favorite dishes ever since my younger days working at Baker's Square Restaurant where they had a delicious pilaf recipe.

Naturally, with age and wisdom you realize that that particular pilaf wasn't quite up to snuff and, indeed, a lot of improvement was possible.

With this recipe, I bring you all the love I have for the pilaf, with the addition of some knock-down great flavor -- again, all in a complete bowl. I highly recommend using a toaster oven for the vegetables, if you have one; it keeps the kitchen cooler in the summer.

Hope you enjoy!

oh! If you haven't already entered or own Kittee Berns' fabulous Ethiopian cookbook, Teff Love, enter to win a copy HERE.

Roasted Zucchini and Mushroom Pilaf Bowl

SERVES 4

It is no surprise that I love to roast vegetables; it always seems to bring out the best in produce. In this recipe, zucchini and mushrooms are roasted to perfection and stirred into a quinoa pilaf that is accented with scallions and arugula. . (Recipe from Vegan Bowls, copyright © 2015 by Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.)

ROAST

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered

2 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into 3/4-inch slices

1 cup corn kernels, thawed and drained if frozen

QUINOA

1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup quinoa, well rinsed

2 garlic cloves, crushed

PASTA

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup orzo

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

GREENS

3 cups baby arugula or watercress

2 scallions, minced

1/2 to 1 serrano chile, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

ROAST: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the oil, salt and garlic on a baking sheet. Add the mushroom, zucchini, and corn. Mix well and bake until tender and roasted, about 20 minutes, stirring midway through cooking time. If you have more time, roast until the corn is golden, an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Keep warm.

QUINOA: Heat the broth, salt, quinoa and garlic in a large pot. Cover, bring to boil over high heat, reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes to steam. Fluff with fork and set aside.

PASTA: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Add the water and salt and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

GREENS: Add the orzo to the cooked quinoa. Add the roasted vegetables to the quinoa. Add the arugula, scallions, serrano and lemon juice. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

moo shu seitan

This northern Chinese dish is typically made with cabbage, wood ear mushrooms, lily buds, eggs and animals. It is also more often than not made with hoisin sauce, a Chinese barbecue sauce, of sorts, made with bean paste, soy sauce and chiles.

In this delicious vegan rendition, we make our own hoisin sauce as part of the dish using red miso, sambal oelek and tamari.

It is important to note the distinction between white and red miso - white miso is fermented for only a few short months, is sweeter, milder and is the main ingredient in miso soup. Red miso, dark miso and the like, are fermented for more than a year, more often up to three years, is more pungent, is darker and saltier and not sweet.

While hoisin is made with soybean paste and not miso, dark miso is very close in flavor and robustness to soybean paste and is more readily available in stores near you.

The seitan I used is from Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N); it is robust, hearty and stands up well to grilling, sauteing and searing. It is the perfect replacement for the traditional meat in this quick stir-fry.

My hubby and I adore wood ear mushrooms, which are curiously black on one side and white on the other when dried, but rehydrate to a dark purple. These mushrooms are very toothsome and give a nice bite without any overpowering mushroom flavor. If you can find it, great, but it not use shiitakes or even button mushrooms.

Moo Shu is served with Mandarin pancakes and they are incredibly easy to make, but if you'd rather not, then just serve the filling with flour tortillas.

Moo Shu Seitan

Serves 4

Mandarin Pancakes:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil

Sauce:

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari

1 tablespoon red miso

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon sambal oelek

Black pepper

Seitan:

1 pound seitan medallions

2 tablespoons arrowroot starch or cornstarch

1 (1-inch) piece ginger, grated

4 garlic cloves, sliced

Stir-fry:

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1 cup wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated in hot water, drained and rinsed

1 small cabbage, shredded

5 scallions, minced

1. Pancakes: Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the water and stir using a fork. Knead lightly and set aside for 20 minutes. Knead until smooth on floured surface and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten using your palm. Spread ½ teaspoon oil on one disk and top with another disk. Press together and roll into a 6 to 7 inch circle.

2. Preheat a skillet over medium heat and spray with oil. Cook one rolled disk for 20 seconds, covered with a lid. Flip and cook uncovered until puffy, another 30 seconds. Remove from pan, separate the disk into 2 pieces and keep warm between kitchen towels. Repeat with the other 3 pairs.

3. Sauce: Combine the vinegar, tamari, miso, sugar, sambal oelek and black pepper, to taste, in a small bowl. Whisk well until smooth and set aside.

4. Seitan: Combine the seitan, starch, ginger and garlic in a shallow pan. Mix well using your hands to massage the seitan. Set aside.

5. Stir-fry: Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the seitan and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and scallions and cook until wilted, about 4 more minutes. Stir in the sauce and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve the stir-fry with the pancakes.

Substitute: Substitute 8 (6-inch) flour tortillas for the pancakes. Substitute 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms for the wood ears.

© 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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vegan vegetarian meatless plant-based

seitan steak sandwich

It's been a seitan steak kind of week over here. My hubby asked for a repeat of the Cajun SteaK, using my seitan SteaK recipe, but I wanted to mix things up and use the seitan in other ways.

 I made a Seitan Steak Sandwich with Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Searing the seitan and then basting it with au jus gives it a wonderful flavor. Topping it with the creamy mushroom sauce is spectacular. Serve it with a fluffy baked potato, and you've got yourself a compassionate meat-and-potatoes dinner.

I used fresh homemade almond milk for the sauce, but I am sure a store-bought vegan milk will work equally well. It is important to caramelize the mushrooms just enough to give them flavor, but not so much that they shrivel up into nothing but a pile of dried fungus.

I will be posting how I make my almond milk over the next few weeks because even though a lot of people say that it is easy and there is nothing much to it, except soaking some nuts, blending with water and then straining, I find there are a few nuances that are good to know.

On a personal note, my sister will be visiting us from Hungary this week. I haven't seen her for close to 30 years, so it should be an exciting week. I learned that she is also vegan. Imagine that! Three decades and a world apart and both of us live cruelty-free.

Because we live in San Diego, we'll be heading up to LA to dine on some kick-ass vegan food. I've not been to Crossroads, yet, and then there is Doomies, which I hear makes a great batch of vegan fried chicken. I've also heard through the grapevine that there is a vegan cheese shop in LA. I hope she'll have a good time in the states!

SEITAN STEAK PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

SEITAN STEAK SANDWICH PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Seitan SteaK Sandwich with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Serves 4

Steak:

2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

3 SteaK Seitan slices

¼ cup au jus (recipe below)

Mushrooms:

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup sherry

¼ cup au jus (recipe below)

1 cup nondairy milk

4 hoagie rolls, split almost completely through

1.SteaK: Combine the black pepper and salt in a small container and set aside. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seitan, topping each pieces with 1 tablespoon of the au jus and about a quarter of the seasoning mix. Cook until golden brown, about for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the seitan, add more au jus and more seasoning mix. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Drizzle the seitan with 1 teaspoon oil, flip and cook until lightly charred. Drizzle another teaspoon of oil and flip. Cook until the other side is lightly charred. Transfer the seitan to a work surface and cut into slices.

2. Mushrooms: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, stirring only occasionally. Add the garlic and the remaining seasoning mix. Stir and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sherry and au jus and cook until almost evaporated. Add the milk and cook until the sauce is reduced by half. Taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Assembly: Toast the split hoagies. Divide the seitan among the hoagies and top with the mushroom sauce. Server.  

Au Jus:

1 cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons vegan steak sauce (such as A-1)

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari

¼ teaspoon dried parsley

⅛ teaspoon dried thyme

⅛ teaspoon oregano

⅛ teaspoon rosemary

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To make the au jus, combine the broth, steak sauce,tamari, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and black pepper in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Whisk well to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook until reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. Keep warm until needed.

© 2012 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.