Nov 14, 2020

seitan picatta


Overview

Time: 30 minutes
Dishes: large skillet, 2 pie plates (or shallow dishes), measuring cup, lemon juicer


Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I've blogged about Picatta a few times before, so if you haven't given it a try, yet, it really seems I would like you to. This meatless, vegetarian and vegan version is the fastest I can come up with, while keeping the recipe as delicious. 

This is seitan in a lemon-broth sauce and is really delicious. I've mostly seen it with capers, so toss in a few teaspoons if you are a caper fan, but I like to keep it simple. No capers here. 

We always have mashed potatoes with this and garlic greens, and all told, dinner was on the table in 45 minutes. The Picatta itself took 30 minutes, so I started the potatoes and even the brussels sporuts, first. 

I used my large skillet for the greens so had to settle with a medium skillet for the seitan and, thus, had to brown the seitan in three batches. Even with this additional timing for the extra batch, the dish was ready in 30 minutes.

Because some breading falls off while cooking, you might need to wipe the pan with a towel between batches to remove the burnt breading. 

We had a diner come a little late to the table, to his woe; all the "seconds" were gone. It really is that good. 

Enjoy!





Speedy Cooking Tips:

  • If making mashed potatoes, start those on the highest/strongest burner first. Then move to a lower burner when cooking the seitan (to allow the stronger heat for cooking the seitan).
  • Use a cake pan for the breading and coating.
  • Prepare the breading, coating and cut the seitan. 
  • When breading the seitan, add the slices right from the coating and shimmy the pan back and forth to coat the pieces. This will avoid having to flip them.
  • When cooking the seitan don't worry about getting everything evenly browned; it'll all go away with the sauce.
  • Prepare the broth and lemon juice while the seitan browns.
 


Picatta

Makes 4 servings 

easy

Serve with mashed potatoes and greens. 

1. Seitan: Cut a loaf of Easy Simple Seitan into 1/4-inch thick slices.

14-ounces Easy Simple Seitan (1 loaf)

2. Breading: Combine the ingredients in a cake pan and stir well:

1 cup dried regular breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

3. Coating: Combine the ingredients in a second cake pan and stir:

6 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Dredge a few slices of Seitan in the Coating and then in the Breading. Add to the skillet. Repeat with as many slices as will fit. Cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes, and remove to a plate. Repeat until all the seitan is cooked. You might need to wipe the pan between batches to avoid burnt breading.

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

5. Sauce: Add to the empty skillet the broth and lemon juice. Cook until reduced by about a third, over medium heat, about 5 minutes.

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

6. Serve: Add the Seitan to the Sauce and cook for 2 minutes to thicken the Sauce. Serve.  

 


 



© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.




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Nov 7, 2020

southwest vegetable soup


Overview

Time: 30 minutes
Dishes: large pot 


Hello, hello Dear Readers!

This meatless, vegetarian and vegan soup is so delicious and it is so easy to make! It's a take on Chili's restaurant's version and I can see why it is popular. It is full of vegetables and it has just the right amount of thickness. The soup is thickened with corn tortillas so it is super easy. 

A few tips: 
  • Since the recipe uses 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, freeze the rest for later use, if you have any leftover. 
  • Chop the tortillas small because they have to dissolve to thicken the soup. 
  • Use zucchini or green beans here; makes no difference. 
  • You can use water and Better Than Boullion - 8 cups water plus 2 tablespoons boullion. 
  • Don't drain the beans; the kidney bean aquafaba is perfect here.

Add plenty of vegan cheese or diced avocado and broken tortilla chips - here's where to use up the bottom of that chip bag we always seeem to be left with.

Enjoy!




Speedy Cooking Tips:

  • Start the broth, diced tomato and tortillas first. Heat over high heat to get them boiling fast. Use a lid.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients as you have them ready. Don't drain the beans.
  • Cook the soup over medium heat so that it is simmering at a good pace throughout - none of that lightly simmering stuff; you need the tortillas to disintegrate. No lid here.
 


Southwest Vegetable Soup

Makes 4 servings 

easy


1. Base: Add the broth, tomatoes and tortillas to a large pot. Bring to boil over high heat with a lid. Reduce to a low boil/strong simmer. The tortillas need to dissolve to thicken the soup.

8 cups vegetable broth

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

6 minced corn tortillas

2. Soup: Add the rest of the ingredients to the Base as they are ready:

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans (do not drain)

1 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 (4-ounce) can diced chiles

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

3. Cook the Soup at a strong simmer until the tortillas disintegrate, about medium heat, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

4. Serve: Ladle into bowls and top as desired:

Shredded vegan yellow cheese

Diced avocados

Broken tortilla chips

Minced cilantro 






© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.