Oh, Hello there!

I am back by popular demand!
Sorry I haven't been around, grad school is a fun sucker. This semester is pretty lame and fall is full of creativity in the kitchen.

Today begins my Chicago Veggie Potluck which I started on Facebook for friends and friends of friends in the area. Our theme for this evening is "80's Mom Food" (although I cannot take credit for the amazing theme idea!). That one goes to Courtney "the cool one," who has been my kitchen partner in crime for some time now! My food photographer (HA!), Jacob will be in attendance as well so sit tight....photos will be available soon!

Courtney and I set up a Saturday night challenge for ourselves of making homemade sietan and risotto-two seemingly difficult tasks.

Here are the recipes that we adapted from Post Punk Kitchen, Real Simple and Bob's Red Mill.
OH and p.s. PPK sucks at writing recipes..

Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients
one onion, chopped
two cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cups of vegetable stock
one bunch of asparagus
1 cup
small glass of white wine



Directions
Wash and cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces and set aside
Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil  on a medium heat for about five minutes or until beginning to soften,
Add the rice and saute for one minute, then add the glass of wine and stir it through.
Add a splash of stock, and stir until it begins to absorb into the rice.
Continue adding a little stock at a time, and keep stirring. 
When liquid is almost completely absorbed, as 2 tablespoons of margarine and the asparagus.

* We also added some fresh thyme because I had in the fridge.

Dangerouly Delicious Seitan
** This is how PPK wrote it-kind of confusing. 
 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

1 cup very cold water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp of tomato paste (WE DID NOT USE- might be good)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated on a microplane grater
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest *** DON'T RECOMMEND- kind of took over the flavors


Simmering Broth
10 cups water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy sauce

Directions
In a large bowl, mix together Vital Wheat Gluten Flour (Bob's Red Mill) and nutritional yeast flakes.

In a seperate bowl, mix together reamining ingredients: water or veg broth, soy sauce. tomato paste, garlic, lemon zest.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine with a firm spatula, knead dough for about 3 minutes until a spongy, elastic dough is formed. Let dough rest for a couple of minutes and prepare your broth, but don't start boiling it.

Now roll your dough into a log shape about 8 inches long and cut into 3 equal sized pieces. Place the pieces in the broth. It is important that the water/broth be very cold when you add the dough, it helps with the texture and ensures that it doesn't fall apart. Partially cover the pot (leave a little space for steam to escape) and bring to a boil.

When the water has come to a boil set the heat to low and gently simmer for an hour, turning the peices every now and again.

Now you've got gluten. Let it cool in the simmering broth for at least a half an hour. It is best if it cools completely.
 
We then sliced it and fried it in olive oil. We ate it with our risotto. Yumm Yumm Yummy. You can do whatev.





Last night's successful undertaking ended in a disaster today. DO NOT MAKE AND CONSUME SIETAN IF YOU MAY HAVE WHEAT SENSITIVTIES!! IT IS NOT WORTH IT. For that, I will be passing my Bob's Red Mill bag to Courtney this afternoon.

 Bye Bye!