Balsamic glazed seitan steak with butternut squash purée and quick pickled cucumber

Fri, 10 January 2020

ingredients:

 

For the Pickled Cucumber:

½  cucumber

A generous pinch of salt

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

 

For the Seitan steaks:

100g tofu

1 teaspoon nigella seed

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½  teaspoon pimento (allspice)

1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard

1 heaped tablespoons nutritional yeast

3 tbsp shoyu or good quality soy sauce

125g vital wheat gluten

rapeseed or sunflower oil

 

For the Squash purée:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed

Tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil

50g creamed coconut

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Salt

 

For the Steak Glaze:

2tbsp Balsamic vinegar

tbsp agave syrup or apple concentrate

tbsp shoyu or good quality soy sauce

 

 

method:

1. Prepare the pickled cucumber in advance; Peel the cucumber into strips, discarding the seeded centre. Add the salt and set aside for five minutes, then squeeze the cucumber to remove excess liquid. Add the dill and vinegar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
2. For the steaks, combine the tofu, spices, mustard and nutritional yeast with 50ml water, 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, tbsp of the shoyu and blitz to a smooth purée in a high-speed blender (you can also use a food processor or a stick blender but you'll need to grind the nigella seeds first in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle).
3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl along with the vital wheat gluten and knead by hand until well combined.
4. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and flatten them out into steaks. Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the steaks and cook them for two minutes before turning them and repeating on the opposite side.
5. Pour in 350ml water and the remaining 2tbsp shoyu and cover the pan with some foil or its lid, leaving a small gap for the steam to escape.
6. Poach over a low simmer for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
7. While the steaks are poaching make the squash puree; coat the cubes in a little rapeseed oil, spread them out on a parchment-lined tray and bake them in a preheated oven set to 190 degrees for about 20 minutes until tender.
8. Meanwhile soak the creamed coconut in 200ml hot water. When it is ready; purée the cooked squash with the coconut, water and sesame oil until smooth. You can do this in a jug with a stick blender or in a high speed blender in which case you may need to do it in two batches.
9. To make the glaze for the steaks, whisk together all the ingredients, heat a little more oil on the pan and add three steaks with half the glaze. Ramp up the heat and turn the steaks over a couple of times to heat through while they absorb the glaze.
10. Place a dollop of purée in the centre of each dinner plate, top with a seitan steak and finish with some chilled pickled cucumber.