Cornmeal-Crusted Seitan and Balsamic Roasted Petite Brussels Sprouts

Cornmeal-Crusted Seitan and Balsamic Roasted Petite Brussels Sprouts.

Cornmeal-Crusted Seitan.

Balsamic Roasted Petite Brussels Sprouts.

Notes

Preparation

Cornmeal-Crusted Seitan

Prepared according to The Candle Cafe Cookbook Cornmeal-Crusted Tempeh Recipe, with the following substitutions:

1. I used White Wave Seitan instead of Tempeh.

2. I used regular soy sauce instead of Shoyu or Tamari Sauce.

3. I used the Wholesome Sweetners Organic Blue Agave Syrup instead of Maple Syrup.

Balsamic Roasted Petite Brussels Sprouts

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (I used Whole Foods 365 Organic Balsamic Vinegar of Modena)

1/2 tsp Coarse-grained Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/2 pound of Brussels Sprouts (I used Whole Foods 365 Brand Frozen Petite Brussels Sprouts, thawed; if you use larger sprouts, they should be halved).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking pan with raised edges with foil.

Mix the first five ingredients in a medium sized bowl and then add in the Brussels Sprouts, gently tossing until coated. Spread the mixture in one even layer across the foiled pan. Roast for 45 minutes, until crispy and caramelized. Serve immediately.

Tasting

Cornmeal-Crusted Seitan

The cornmeal crust was awesome and held up well while cooking. However, the dish was unbelievably salty, almost to the point of being inedible. I think it was probably the combination of too much sodium in the soy sauce and store bought seitan.

Balsamic Roasted Petite Brussels Sprouts

The high temperature cooks out all the bitterness and they come out crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and delicious all over. The resulting caramelization is mildly sweet but savory, a perfect foil to any residual bitterness. The combination of balsamic and olive oil is classically Italian, but the dish will work with most anything.

Conclusion

Cornmeal-Crusted Seitan

I liked the texture and visual result enough to might try this again, but with Tempeh and the proper soy sauces to determine the source of the salt problem.

Balsamic Roasted Petite Brussels Sprouts

The Brussels Sprouts recipe is my favorite preparation. In fact, it's converted a few Brussels Sprouts atheists to Bassicaceae devotees. It's also Quick and Easy, so long as you have 45 minutes to let them cook, i.e. while preparing a protein.

Chimichurri Seitan Skewer Salad

Chimichurri seitan skewers on a bed of leaf and romaine lettuces, pear tomatoes, and carrots dressed with citrus-herb vinaigrette. Based on the Candle Cafe Cookbook Seitan Skewers with Chimichurri Citrus-Herb Sauce.

Raw materials in the Garden

Notes

Recipe and Substitutions:

To prepare the skewers and sauce, I faithfully followed the cookbook recipe. After removing them from the grill, I plated them on the raw vegetables and then drizzled residual marinade and chimichurri sauce over the whole thing.

Tasting:

This salad was labor intensive but incredible. I've had Candle Cafe's skewers both at the restaurant and from the prepared food case at Whole Foods yet I preferred the homemade iteration for at least three reasons: 1) the seitan was served immediately off the grill so it didn't have time to cool and stiffen; 2) it was nice to have a full salad and both of the sauces to round out the meal; and 3) while I love the smoky flavor of grilled food and the aesthetics of char marks, I don't like food overly scorched (it's carcinogenic) and so I was able to control and reduce over-browning.