Cubano Vegano Sandwich orrrr TWO BLOGS IN ONE NIGHT!

Wow you guys are in luck, I'm cranking out the blogs tonight and you're getting TWO, for the price of one...or well I guess I could put out 100 and you'd still get it for the price of one, since it is all free... Anyways, this is more or less just a nod to a new cook book that just came out, that I think everyone who is vegan, or interested in being vegan should go pick up. It's called Viva Vegan by Terry Hope Romero. I've been counting down the days, waiting for this book, since may of 2009, and it is finally here! Just came out this past Tuesday, April 27th, and it was well worth the wait. If you're a lover of all latin foods (like myself) this is the book you've been waiting for.

I've already got my eye on a few recipes, but I've only made one so far, and it was very VERY tasty. It's called the Cubano Vegano Sandwich, and I'm thinking it is the best sandwich I've ever had, vegan or otherwise. I've been trying to find the best sandwich for a while, and as of right now this one holds the crown. I'm not going to provide the recipe for it, because if you want to try it, YOU SHOULD GO BUY THE BOOK!

There was a new way of making seitan that I made to put on this sandwich; it required steaming instead of boiling or baking. It came out chewier than the seitan I included in this blog, but was very tasty once baked in a marinade. The only thing I changed up in my version than what was in the book was NO pickles on mine, and I used chibata bread instead of french bread.

Here it is in all it's glory:

As far as recommended listening for this monster sandwich I'd have to go with Ancestor because they're the only Cuban Black Metal band that I know of, I'm sure there are more, but these dudes are pretty badass.

BURNED AT THE CHEEZE STEAK!

After a few delays I'm back up and running! Our internet was supposed to be connected earlier in the week, but unfortunately our new house is a little older so they had to tweak some things and it took a little longer. Then, I pulled a ligament or tendon in my right arm, but as a good seitanist I followed the left hand path and used my left hand to cook up some new recipes!

So without delay here is a new recipe.

BURNED AT THE CHEEZ STEAK

Ingredients

-2-3 cups chopped seitan

-1 or 2 green/red/yellow peppers chopped

-1 onion diced

-1 Tbsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

-Black Pepper

-Paprika

-Vegan Cheez

-Vegan butter

-Vegan Mayonnaise

-Hoagie rolls

Okay to start out you're going to need to put about a Tbsp of oil in a skillet and heat it over medium high heat. Dice on whole onion (I use yellow onion, but you can use whatever you like, or none at all) and saute in your oil. While the onion is sauteing seed and chop your pepper(s). Sometimes I also like to chop up about a cup of mushrooms at this time. Once the onions are translucent toss your peppers and if you'd like mushrooms into the skillet and saute until tender. Now add your seitan, and grill until brown. At this time I like to add my secret ingredient, worcestershire sauce! Most worcestershire sauce are no vegan, I use Wizard's Organic Vegan Worcestershire Sauce:

But you can also find other brands that are cheaper, as of the writing of this blog Kroger Brand Worcestershire Sauce is vegan. Also at this time season your seitan with black pepper and paprika to taste. You can also add some salt and garlic powder to taste if you so choose.

Once the seitan is browned, make a big pile of it in the middle of your skillet and put some cheeze on top of it, the more the better! I used tofutti mozzarella, but you can use your favorite brand of cheeze.

While the cheeze is melting on the seitan, cut open your hoagie, or whatever kind of bread you used (I cheated and used sub rolls) and slather the insides with earth balance. Heat up another skillet and place your bread face down and toast the insides until they're browned to your liking. Take the bread off the heat and slather it down with some vegan mayo. I could provide you with a recipe to make some vegan mayo, but I know you have church burnings to get to, so save yourself some time and pick up a jar of vegannaise.

Once the cheeze is melted scoop yourself up a hearty serving of cheezy seitan, peppers and onions and fill your bread. Now enjoy your cheeze steak!

Recommended Listening: Infernal Stronghold-Godless Noise

QUick update

I've made some more food and I've got pictures this time! But, I do not currently have internet at my new house because we are in the process of moving. So hopefully by wednesday I will have a new recipe or two with pictures this time!

For now, listen to more Roky Erickson

Seitanic Book I, Chapter I: The Basic Seitanic Ritual

Here we go, delving into the Vegan black arts and Seitanism. For the first post we'll start with the building blocks of all Seitanism, SEITAN ITSELF! This is an easy recipie that you can find pretty much anywhere on the intertubez, but hey, we have to start somewhere!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of Vital Wheat Gluten (I use Bob's Redmill)

1/4 cup of Nutritional Yeast (Red Star FTW!)

2-3 Tbsp of Tamari (or soy sauce)

1-2 cups water

Broth:

10 cups of water or vegetable broth

4 Tbsp tamari

2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp basil

2 Tbsp bay seasoning

1 Tbsp marjoram

1 Tbsp Thyme

You can also add any other seasonings you would like, really just depends on the flavor you're looking for; or you can add some onions, garlic, carrots, celery or any of your favorite veggies to mix it up a little as well.

First combine your vital wheat gluten and nutritional yeast in a medium to large sized mixing bowl. You can also add whatever other spices you like, I generally use salt, pepper, bay seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder; it's up to your imagination, these black arts are not an exact science. Once all of your dry ingredients are mixed, mix in your tamari and slowly add water until the vital wheat gluten has absorbed it all. Knead the vital wheat gluten for 5-10 minutes until it is spongey. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes, and prepare your broth. Combine all of your broth ingredients in a large cauldron(or pot) but do not turn the heat on yet.

Cut your Vital wheat gluten dough into equal size chunks and roll into balls. Place them in the broth, and cover. Turn the heat on and bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Let the seitan simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. After the hour is up remove from heat and let the seitan cool in it's broth. From here you have a few options: You can use the seitan immediately in a recipe; you can put it in an air tight container with it's broth and store it in the fridge for up to one week, or freezer for up to 6 months; or you can bake at 375º it to give it a chewier texture then store it in it's broth as mentioned in the previous step.

Recommended listening: Black Widow-Sacrifice(1970)