Seitan Porcini Stew

Description

This is a recipe that not only comforts you on a cold winter’s night, it makes you look forward to the snowiest, windiest, all-the-roads-shut-downiest night possible, just so you can make stew.

This recipe is another amazing creation of JVNA supporter Isa Chandra Moskowitz and her Post Punk Kitchen.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon

olive oil

large onion (quartered and thickly sliced)

4 cloves

garlic (minced)

carrots (peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick)

1 cup

red wine

1 teaspoon

dried rosemary

1 teaspoon

dried thyme

1 teaspoon

sweet paprika

1⁄2 teaspoon

ground fennel

1 teaspoon

salt

1 ounce

porcini mushrooms (shiitake or portobello can be used instead)

3 cups

vegetable broth

1 1⁄2 pound

potatoes (peeled, cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks)

1⁄4 cup

all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup

water

2 tablespoons

tomato paste

2 cups

seitan, sliced (store-bought vegan sausages can be used instead)

Instructions

If you're using seitan, saute it separately and set aside for later.

Preheat a 4 quart pot over medium high heat.

Saute onions and a pinch of salt in oil until until translucent, 4 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, for about a minute, until fragrant.

Add carrots, wine, rosemary (crushed in your fingers), thyme (crushed in your fingers), paprika, fennel, fresh black pepper and salt and bring to a boil. The liquid should reduce in about 3 minutes.

Add porcinis and vegetable broth, cover and bring to a full boil for 5 minutes or so, to quickly cook the procinis. Now add the potatoes, lower heat and bring to a simmer (not a full boil). Let the potatoes cook just until fork tender, about 15 minutes.

In a measuring cup, mix the flour into the water with a fork until no lumps are left. Slowly add the broth/flour to the pot, mixing well. Mix in the tomato paste. Let thicken for 5 minutes or so. Add the sausages/seitan and continue to cook. In about 5 more minutes it should be perfectly thick but still smooth. Taste for salt and seasonings, and serve!