Beer Battered Seitan and Southwestern Corn Pudding

OK, this recipe is not going to win points at the health fair, and I am not even going to try to justify it. For some odd reason, I was craving something fried. The end result of that craving was this seitan. I have been eyeing the corn pudding recipe in Veganomicon and thought it would make the perfect complement to the meal. The pudding was amazing, a perfect blend of taste, texture and colour. Highly recommended!

INGREDIENTS

- 1 1/2 cups flour

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

- 1 tsp paprika

- 1 tsp poultry spice

- pinch of cayenne pepper

- 1 1/2 cup beer

- 12 pieces of chicken seitan

- oil for frying

METHOD

1. Whisk together flour and spices. Whisk in beer (add a little more if too thick). Let sit for 30 mins.

2. Heat oil (about 1" deep) in a frying pan over med-hi heat. Dip a piece of seitan in the batter, coating thickly. Let excess drip off, then place in oil. Repeat. Fry 3-4 mins per side, until golden and crisp.

Black Bean Burgers with Roasted Corn Guacamole and Sweet Potato Fries

Tonight I made the black bean burgers from Veganomicon. The recipe isn't really much different from other black bean burgers recipes I have seen, except that it uses high gluten flour to bind everything together. This makes me think that these burgers will hold up well on the grill (but I did not test that theory tonight.) The burgers are pretty good on their own, but when topped with tomato, red onion, chopped romaine, salsa, and roasted corn guacamole they are absolutely fantastic!

Roasted Corn Guacamole
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large avocados
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Meanwhile, scoop avocados out of skins and coarsely mash with fork. Mix in lime juice and cilantro.
2. Add corn and onion to skillet. Dry roast for about 15-20 mins, stirring frequently, until corn and onions are a deep golden brown.
3. Let corn cool slightly, then add to avocados along with spices. Serve.

Sweet Potato Fries
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Peel and thinly slice 3-4 sweet potatoes. Toss in 1 tbsp of oil.
3. Bake for 20-25 mins on a cookie sheet, flipping every 5 mins or so to prevent sticking.
4. When fries are crisp and cooked, sprinkle 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of chili powder, and salt to taste over top and mix well. Serve.

Western Style Sandwich

In the spirit of Vegan MoFo, I am adding some extra posts this weekend about lunch. Generally, my lunch during the work week is leftovers from dinner, or a PB&J if I am in a rush (along with whatever fruits and veggies I grab). On the weekend, though, there is time to make something nice. My mom used to make something like this when I was a kid. This is a veganized and somewhat spiffier version.

First, make some scrambled tofu. Isa posted here recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance here. For this dish, I omit the cremini mushrooms and add 1/4 cup of salsa in at the end.

Next, saute some sliced portabello mushrooms in 2 tbsp oil. When oil is absorbed and the shrooms are starting to soften, splash with a bit of tequila and the juice of half a lime. Sprinkle 1 tsp of chili powder over top and cook until shrooms are soft but not totally flaccid. Remove from pan.

Then, saute up some sliced peppers for 5 mins or so. I used red and orange, but green would work too. Again, make sure peppers are softened but still have some crunch.

Lastly, make the sandwich. Toast some bread. Put down a good layer of scrambled tofu, top with some of the pepper, some sliced tomato, and the mushrooms. Stick some vegenaise and ketchup on the other slice of bread, then unite the two halves for one mighty fine sandwich!