Spicy Hickory Maple Seitan Bacon

Those of you who know me, know my take on faux meats. Aside from a torrid love affair with commercially-made faux chicken nuggets (oh my pretties how I long to smother you in hot sauce), I don't try especially hard to mimic the real thing - I'm more concerned with the experience of food. I miss sausages because my Dad used to cart home pounds of freshly made Hungarian kolbasz and hurka...stuffed in a suitcase for the flight home from Montreal to the Maritimes, I kid you not. It was passed around the table as something special, something we ate together. I miss ground beef because I miss burgers on the grill, not because I long for the flavor of cow. Hey, that`s just me, you do what you want. So when it comes to working with meat alternatives, yes, I do try to mimic the flavor to some extent - but let`s face it, nothing about wheat gluten could fool a carnivore into thinking it`s meat. Enjoy it for what it is; a high-protein, versatile addition to your cooking repertoire. And for those of us vegheads out there, it`s a way to connect with foods and experiences we long to recreate.

All to say, I`ve recently stumbled across several faux bacon recipes, and was intrigued by the unique pairing of red and white doughs to recreated the marbled effect of bacon. Hmmm...culinary challenge indeed. In creating this version, I decided to bypass the technique of blending in pre-prepared soy bacon bits for added flavoring. Really...blech if you ask me. I`m sure it tastes more like bacon, but I think we can do better than artificial bacon flavor additives. I decided to focus on the flavors of maple syrup for a little sweetness and pureed chipotle peppers for its rich smoky flavor and deep red color.

If you don`t care to follow the steps to make it look similar to bacon, mix everything in a bowl and carry on. Otherwise, check out this creative take on veg bacon. And when it`s done, go nuts...fry slices in a skillet or chop it into cubes and bake in the oven (think salad topping). I`m hungry all over again.

Makes a 19 oz loaf, approx 24 slices.

In seperate bowls, mix the following dry ingredients:

red dough                              white dough
1 cup vital wheat gluten        1/2 cup vital wheat gluten

1/4 cup soy flour                   1 Tbsp soy flour

1 Tbsp garlic powder              1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder     

1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt

In seperate bowls, mix the following wet ingredients:

red dough                       white dough

2/3 cup cold water         1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp cold water

1 Tbsp olive oil               1 tsp olive oil

1-3 chipotle peppers
     (pureed and try to remove seeds)
2 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp liquid smoke

Mix together the white dough wet and dry ingredients, and knead for 2-3 minutes. Dust a clean surface with wheat gluten, and roll out the dough. Now do the same for the red dough.

Here's where you get to be creative. Layer the red and white doughs, cut them into pieces if necessary. In the bacon pictured, I alternated 3 layers of red with 2 layers of white. I used the final layer to cover the entire loaf.

Place a sheet of foil on a baking tray, and cover liberally with cooking spray. Place your bacon on the tray, and cover with another sheet of sprayed foil, oiled side facing the bacon. Place a plate or cutting board on top, and carefully balance something heavy on it - I used 2 heavy jars of peanut butter. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Remove your weight and cutting board, and bake in a 315 degree oven for 45 minutes. It may appear slightly underdone, and 'give' to the touch, but that's ok, you'll be frying up the slices later. Remove your foil for the last 15 minutes of baking, but be sure the top doesn't get too brown. Cool, then slice! If freezing, cover in plastic wrap and put in a freezer baggie.

Note: if you decide to omit the chipotles and black pepper to cut out the spice, replace with 1-2 Tbsp of water or tomato paste. Best used fried or baked - if used in a dish with a sauce, baked seitan will absorb too much liquid and be a bit smooshy...you could try adding at the last minute, but a smoky tofu-based 'bacon' would be best. Recipe to come  :-)

Per 2 slices: 83 cals, 2g fat, 5g carbs, 211mg sodium, 0g fiber, 11g protein.  (PRO44.8/54%,CHO20.1/24%,FAT18.5/22%)

Chipotle Chili Bowl

This makes a rather large pot, but freezes well. Chipotle peppers are jalapeno peppers, roasted - look for canned chipotles in adobo sauce in the mexican section of your grocery store. They keep forever in the fridge, but you can freeze what`s left if your fridge is as full as mine. Husband, no comment please. Adjust the seasonings as you see fit, I like my chili spicy but cut back as needed. mmmmm...love chili.

Makes about 11 x 1 cup servings.


1 Tbsp olive oil
1 green pepper, finely minced
1 large onion, finely minced
2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
1-2 Tbsp ground cumin
1-2 Tbsp chili powder
1-3 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced
4 1/2 cups well-cooked beans (try a mix of black and pinto)
1 x 796ml/28 fl oz tin tomato pieces
1 x 796ml/28 fl oz tin crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 cup TVP
1 cube faux beef bouillon

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Add the vegetable and saute for 5-10 mins on medium heat, until cooked through and lightly browned. Add cumin and chili powders, and continue stirring until spices are fragrant. Add chipotles, beans, tomatoes and garlic powder. 

In a separate pot, heat 3/4 cup water and the bouillon cube to boil. Add TVP, remove from heat and let sit until water is absorbed. Add TVP to chili.

Cover the stock pot, reduce the heat until just simmering. Check on the chili every 5-10 min, giving it a good stir so nothing sticks to the bottom. I typically leave it to simmer for about 45-60 mins, but if you're in a rush 20 mins will do.

Note: adjust cumin, chili and chipotles as you see fit. I like my chili spicy and flavourful, it needs to burn going down baby! Having said that, I like to eat it with toasted buttered buns, I find the bread helps cut the heat just enough...and cheese, definitely cheese. Another idea is to pan-fry some potatoes, throw them in a tortilla with a scoop of the chili, top with sour cream and voila! Chili pocket on the run!

Vegan or lactose intolerant? No prob, check out the hippie section of larger grocery stores or your local health food store, vegan soy sour cream and cheeses are aplenty. A little pricey to use every day, but nice as a treat...

Per 1 cup: 172 cals, 2g fat, 30g carbs, 342mg sodium, 9g fiber, 11g protein.  (PRO37/21%,CHO118/69%,FAT17.5/10%)

Toltott Kaposzta - Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage

There is nothing like the smell of yummy cabbage rolls simmering on the stove! This is my vegan adaptation of the Hungarian classic, with a filling of seitan, TVP and rices. Bears a decent resemblance to the original, really hit the spot! Thicken the sauce with soy sour cream if desired, but not necessary... 

Makes 13 cabbage rolls, with 1/3 cup filling each.

1 large head green cabbage

Put on a pot of water to boil - use a pot large enough to hold the head of cabbage. Place the cabbage on a cutting board, and with a small sharp knife cut out the core. Put the cabbage in the boiling water, and turn occasionaly as needed. As the outer layers of the cabbage cook through, gently peel them off and remove from the water - be careful not to burn your fingers, use tongs or a large spoon! Put aside the cabbage leaves to cool, while finishing remaining layers go ahead and make the filling.

Filling
 

1/4 cup raw long grain brown rice + 3/4 cup water to boil

1/2 cup raw short grain calrose rice + 1 cup water & 1 cup tomato juice to boil

1 cup water

2 faux beef bouillon cube

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp liquid hickory smoke
1 cup TVP granules

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

3/4 cup minced or grated onions

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 Tbsp garlic or onion powder

2 Tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika

2 tsp hot Hungarian paprika

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

Cook the 2 rices seperately, and make sure the grains are very plump - almost overcooked. Keep in mind, unlike traditional meat cabbage rolls, the rice will not cook any further once mixed into the seitan. The calrose rice might need a little extra water here and there, and will look like a large glutinous mess once completely cooked (this is a good thing, helps bind together the other ingredients). Just make sure the bottom doesn't scorch, simmer gently and keep an eye on it.

 

While the rice is cooking, bring the water, bouillon, soy sauce and liquid smoke to a boil. Add in the TVP, stir, remove from heat and allow the mixture to sit long enough to absorb the water. Fry the onion in oil until well cooked, add in the rices, TVP and remaining seasonings. Stir well to combine, and put aside. Once the mixture is cooled completely, stir in the gluten. The mixture will appear dry - resist the temptation to add liquid! Just keep stirring until it starts to bind together.

You're ready to start stuffing your cabbage! Take a scoop of filling, I use about 1/3 cup, and knead the filling in your hands until the gluten is well worked in and firms up a little. Flatten the ball into a flat oval, and place on your cabbage leaf. Bring the bottom up over the filling, fold over the left side and then the right. Now pull the top over, and use toothpicks to keep in place (see pics). Finish stuffing the remaining cabbage leaves until the remaining of the filling is used up. If you have any remaining cabbage, slice it up into thin pieces.

1 large tin tomato juice
1 each faux beef and faux chicken bouillon cube
1 1/2 cup sauerkraut

Take a large pot, and layer some of the leftover cabbage and sauerkraut on the bottom. Add several of the cabbage rolls. Continue layering until the cabbage slices, sauerkraut and cabbage rolls are all used up. Disolve the bouillon cubes in a little water, and pour into pot along with tomato juice. Add enough water to cover cabbage rolls. Cover and let simmer for about 45 minutes. Turn heat off. Serve as is, or remove cabbage rolls to a seperate dish if using the sour cream to thicken the sauce.

3/4 cup sour cream, optional

If using sour cream, it must be 'tempered' before adding to the pot of hot tomato sauce so that it doesn't seperate. Gently stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce into the sour cream. Once blended, add a few more tablespoons, and a few more until the sour cream is soupy and warmed up. Pout into pot, stirring quickly. Warm gently, do not boil.

When ready to serve, ladle a large spoonful of sauce on to a plate and top with a couple of the cabbage rolls. Yum!!!

Per roll: 219 cals, 6g fat, 25g carbs, 587mg sodium, 6g fiber, 17g protein.  (PRO65.8/30%,CHO101/46%,FAT52.4/24%)