Occasionally I make something so yummy that I think, “daayum…” Oh, you know what I mean. This vegan seitan Marsala is one of those. I’m not going to take any credit for being a genius here–the idea for this recipe came straight out of a dinner I had recently with Features editor Jen Kurdyla. We went to Blossom in West Village where I had a delicious seitan Marsala for entree. I wanted to recreate that dish at home, and the result is this: lightly breaded, crispy seitan served with rich, complex mushroom sauce, fragrant with sweet and savory Marsala wine. It might actually be better than Blossom’s–try it when you want to impress self or significant other. 🙂

Vegan Seitan Marsala

Serves 2-3

1 package seitan (I used West Soy brand’s cubed seitan)

1/2 medium onion, chopped

8-10 baby bella mushrooms, sliced lengthwise

2 large cloves garlic, minced

4 skinny carrots, peeled and trimmed but not cut

1 tsp Better Than Bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water (or 1 cup vegetable stock)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

3/4 cup Marsala wine

2 tbsp flour

2 tsp corn starch

2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

cracked black pepper

chopped Italian parsley (for garnish)

1. In a Dutch oven (or thick bottomed pot), heat 1 tbsp of oil. When it smells fragrant, add chopped onions and mushrooms. Let them be for a few minutes before stirring around.

2. When onions start to look translucent and the mushrooms start giving off their juices, add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds or so. Then, take off the heat and move the mixture to a bowl.

3. Turn the heat back onto medium. The mushrooms and onions should have left some oil on the pot, but you can choose to add a teaspoon of oil if needed. When it is hot, add the carrots. Cover and let it brown for a few minutes.

4. When the carrots are nice and browned, add the mushroom mixture back into the pot. Add 1 tbsp flour and 1 tsp cornstarch, and stir to coat. After about a minute, add the wine and de-glaze the pot (this should make a dramatic “ssshhhh!” sound and make you feel like a chef).

5. Add the stock and thyme. Get it to boiling for a minute or two, then cover and reduce to simmer. Reduce to about 1/2 the volume, about 10-12 minutes.

6. In the meantime, take the seitan out of the packaging, and rinse and drain well. In a large bowl, add 1 tbsp flour and 1 tsp cornstarch. Add the seitan pieces and toss to coat.

7. In a nonstick pan, heat about 1/2 tbsp oil (use a spatula to coat well–it doesn’t take much). When it’s fragrant and starts to bubble, add the seitan. Fry, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the outside.

8. When the seitan is done, arrange on a plate and top with the sauce, mushrooms and carrots. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper and some fresh chopped parsley. Bon appetit!

Related: Mini Gluten-Free Sriracha Empanadas

Korean Dumpling Soup

Crispy Vegan Risotto Cakes

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Photo: Peaceful Dumpling