Sundried Tomato Roast With Braised Vegetables
This is the centerpiece to end all centerpieces. The kind of meal that makes conversation stop and everyone, just for a moment, forget their problems and appreciate the finer things. Like braised vegetables swimming in a light tomato broth, gathered around a gorgeous roast.
And for something kinda’ fancy, it isn’t too difficult. The process is actually simple: blend up your base, stir in the dry ingredients, form a loaf, and bake away. Time really does most of the work here (what a great sous chef she is!), from the oven slowly transforming the seitan into a hearty, sliceable roast, to the vegetables braising in their tomatoey broth until perfectly tender. Once the roast has baked, it even gets to lounge in the stew for a bit, soaking up extra flavor before being sliced and served. The end result is both massively impressive and totally comforting.
This recipe was originally published in Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook <3
Notes
~Canned lentils work really well here because they are soooo mushy. But if you decide to make your own, overcook them. They need to blend completely smooth in order for everything to workout perfectly.
~You can replace the carrots with baby carrots! I sometimes do this to save myself a little bit of time.
~Leftovers reheat beautifully the next day. Try pan-searing the sliced seitan for yummy sandwiches.
Ingredients
For the Seitan Roast
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 3/4 cup cooked or canned lentils rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes drained
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme crushed with your fingers
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Veggies
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion cut into thin half-moons
- 1 teaspoon salt plus a pinch
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes 1/2-inch dice
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 12 ounces carrots peeled and cut on a bias into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 celery ribs cut on a bias into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the Seitan Roast
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have ready a sheet of aluminum foil at least 16 inches long.
- In a food processor, pulse the garlic. Add the lentils, sundried tomatoes, broth, tamari, and olive oil and puree until relatively smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, paprika, thyme, and a few grinds of black pepper. Make a well in the center and add the lentil mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts coming together to form a ball of dough. Knead until everything is well incorporated.
- Shape the seitan into a log about 8 inches long. It doesn’t need to be perfect; it will adjust as it bakes. Place the log lengthwise in the center of the foil and roll it up like a Tootsie Roll, making sure the ends are tightly wrapped. Place the log on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, turning the roll every 20 minutes for even cooking.
Make the Veggies
- Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Heat the oil, then sauté the onion with a pinch of salt until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Mix in the tomatoes to deglaze the pan. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, broth, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and cook, covered, for 20 more minutes to develop the flavors.
Back to the Roast
- Once the seitan roast is cooked through, let it cool until not too hot to handle. Unwrap the foil and place the roast right into the stew. Let it soak for about 10 minutes with the heat turned off.
- Remove the roast from the stew, place it on a cutting board, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer the stew to a casserole dish and place the sliced roast on top. Serve.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
