Easter Dinner

I really threw down this Easter and prepared my first vegetarian meal for my family. I'm happy to say that everyone LOVED the mashed potatoes - they tore them up...like lick the bowl tore them up! As for the seitan dish - everyone liked the taste, but not everyone liked the texture - totally understandable. I enjoyed both dishes. Here are the deets on the dish!

Smothered Seitan in a Mixed Mushroom Gravy and Cumin-Cayenne Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
Source: Vegetarian Times SS: This dish was based on the classic soul food dish, smothered porkchops, but it is totally vegan (click here to a link to the feature on soul food inspired vegetarian cooking)!
Serves 6

SHROOM STOCK
Ingredients
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. button mushrooms, thinly sliced SS: I used regular white mushrooms
1 lb. portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 large onion, diced (including skin)
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
2 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled, crushed
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions
Sauté all ingredients in pot for 5 minutes. Add 9 cups water; simmer 1 hour. Strain.

MIXED MUSHROOM GRAVY
Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 lb. button mushrooms, sliced SS: I used regular white mushrooms
1/4 lb. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 cup unflavored rice milk
1 cup 'Shroom Stock (see above)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper


Directions
1. Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add all mushrooms, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in flour and remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes, or until flour begins to brown, whisking constantly.
2. Whisk in rice milk, 'Shroom Stock, salt, and white pepper. Simmer 15 minutes, or until thickened, whisking often.
 
SMOTHERED SEITAN IN MIXED MUSHROOM GRAVY
Ingredients
1 lb. seitan, cut into medallions
5 Tbs. arrowroot powder
1 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 large onion, thinly sliced (2 cups)
5 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbs.)
2 cups Mixed Mushroom Gravy (see above)
2 cups straight apostrophe 'Shroom Stock (see above)
1 cup finely chopped green cabbage
2 jalapeño chiles, minced (2 Tbs.)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Directions
1. Coat seitan pieces with arrowroot.
2. Heat 1/2 cup oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Fry half of seitan in oil 3 minutes per side.
3. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate. Discard oil, wipe out skillet, and repeat with 1/2 cup oil and remaining seitan. Discard oil.
4. Add remaining 2 Tbs. oil and onion to hot skillet. Increase heat to high, and sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and sauté 10 minutes more. Add garlic, and sauté 3 minutes. Stir in Mixed Mushroom Gravy, "Shroom Stock, and seitan. Cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Add cabbage, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in jalapeños, green onions, and parsley.
 

CUMIN-CAYENNE MASHED POTATOES WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS
Ingredients
2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
5 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup unflavored rice milk
2 Tbs. minced fresh thyme

Directions
1. Boil potatoes in enough water to cover 25 minutes, or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, sautè onion, oil, cumin, salt, and cayenne in skillet over low heat 30 minutes, or until browned. Stir in rice milk and thyme.
3. Drain potatoes, and mash. Whisk onion mixture into potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.