Today's spice is: Porcini Mushroom Powder
You probably already know how much I love Julie Hasson's book "Vegan Diner," because I talk about it all the time. It's beautiful and chock full of delicious recipes. Her seitan recipes are especially great, and in some of them she calls for Porcini Powder. I accomplished this by grinding up dried Porcini mushrooms in my spice grinder. This powdery goodness pretty much smells like straight up mushrooms. I had ground up a bunch for one of her seitan recipes a few months back, and I had some more sitting around in a spice jar...
... So I popped open Vegan Diner again and his time around I made the Smoky Seitan Roast, which I hadn't ever made before. I don't actually like mushrooms very much, but I know that they have a lot of depth and richness to offer in vegan cooking. Luckily for me, you can't taste the shroomy presence in this seitan at all, but you can taste the umami goodness of rich deep yum. This seitan came out wonderfully - tasty, sliceable, great texture, and super easy.
Here's the final product: Reuben Sandwiches! Including my new friend saeurkraut - who I am just learning to love, fresh rye bread, and some secret sauce from Vegan Diner. Mmmm. Obviously there was still a lot of the roast left over, so I've been cutting off thin slices and pan frying them as little snacks with my lunches, and soon I'll probably pop the rest away in the freezer for a day when I want a quick and delicious dinner option!
Porcini powder!
ReplyDeleteI bought Vegan Diner after seeing about a thousand people posting from it for MoFo and I'm so overwhelmed that I can't decide what to make first...
This post defies my abilities to xgfxcise, but I still love it. Julie is a good cook!
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kittee
it took me a few years way back when i was wee to truly love sauerkraut, but i finally came to love it the most! those little porcini peeps are the cutest evs and totally make me smile. dan used to abhor mushrooms, but i kept sneaking them into things and one day, **bam!**, he loved them. i think it's great you used the porcini powder even though you're not the biggest fan of mushies, Amey. i don't care for fennel and i'm too chicken to use it in recipes. i need to be brave! the sammies look fantastical, indeed!
ReplyDeletePorcini powder is such a brilliant idea! Vegan Diner is on my Christmas wish list, so I will hopefully have it in my grubby hands soon. I was thinking of trying to make some pork-esque seitan this weekend, maybe I'll incorporate this tip...
ReplyDeleteInteresting ingredient. I so have to get that book, it sounds like a gem.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! That is one perfect looking loafa! I looove mushrooms, even if you can't taste them what with all that delicious sauerkraut.
ReplyDeleteLook at the little shrooms with signs! They strike me as occuporcinis.
ReplyDeleteShall I come over now and eat with you, or wait until later????
ReplyDeleteMaybe Kittee could try this to make a gluten-free version of seitan?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/OrgraN-Gluten-Substitute-7-Ounce-Boxes/dp/B000EHW0VQ/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1308484539&sr=8-9/?tag=happyherbi-20&tag=vglnk-c900-20
I only just got Vegan Diner and I can't wait to try that seitan recipe. It looks perfect.
ReplyDeleteThat looks great. I just bought a spice grinder, and I have dried porcini mushrooms, so porcini powder is mine for the making!
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