Part 57 (2/2)

Pour the heated vegetable broth into a 9 13-inch gla.s.s baking pan or a ceramic ca.s.serole (If all you have is metal, that's okay). Place the cutlets in the broth, then bake for about 30 minutes uncovered, turn the cutlets over (use tongs for this and it's easy), and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and place the cutlets in a colander to drain. The cutlets are now ready to use in whatever seitan recipe you choose. If you have extra seitan, store it in the cooking liquid in a tightly covered container.

CHICKPEA CUTLETS.

MAKES 4 CUTLETS.

TIME: 30 MINUTES.

We try not play favorites, but this is one of our babies and a recipe that we are sure will take over food blogs worldwide. A combination of chickpeas and vital wheat gluten formed into savory cutlets, it's perfect for when you want something ”meaty” but don't want to go through the trouble of making seitan. We serve these cutlets in myriad ways, packed into sandwiches or smothered in mustard sauce, with a side of mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. It's vegan food that you can eat with a steak knife and, best of all, it is fast and easy. You'll probably want to double the recipe if you're serving it to guests.

1 cup cooked chickpeas

2 tablespoons olive oil

cup vital wheat gluten

cup plain bread crumbs

cup vegetable broth or water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated with a microplane

grater

teaspoon lemon zest

teaspoon dried thyme

teaspoon Hungarian paprika

teaspoon dried rubbed sage

Olive oil for panfrying

IN A mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas together with the oil until no whole chickpeas are left. Add the remaining ingredients and knead for about 3 minutes, until strings of gluten have formed.

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, divide the cutlet dough into four equal pieces. To form the cutlets, knead each piece in your hand for a few moments and then flatten and stretch each one into a roughly 6 4-inch rectangular cutlet shape. The easiest way to do this is to first form a rectangular shape in your hands and then place the cutlets on a clean surface to flatten and stretch them.

Add a moderately thin layer of olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Place the cutlets in the pan and cook on each side for 6 to 7 minutes. Add more oil, if needed, when you flip the cutlets. They're ready when lightly browned and firm to the touch.

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