Savory Seitan Stew

Since we're getting back to cooler nights and since I wanted to make an easy one-pot dinner, I decided to throw together a beef-less stew using seitan for the "meat". It turned out so well, I thought I'd share.

Savory Seitan Stew (3-4 servings)

8 oz. (240gm) seitan in traditional broth
1 can (12 oz./360gm) of whole kernel corn (maize)
1 medium-sized onion
½ of a green bell pepper (or a whole one if you prefer)
2 carrots
½ - ¾ cup (maybe 150-175gm?) of sun-dried tomatoes
2-3 Tablespoons (30-45mL) of extra virgin olive oil
Approximately 1½ cups (360mL) of water
thyme, sage, coriander, black pepper, bay leaves, or any other herbs/spices to taste

First, the disclaimer: I don't generally measure when I cook. I've been cooking most of my life and do most of it on the fly, as I did with this stew. The measurements above are mostly rough approximations, not absolutes. Results may vary, but variation is a beautiful thing and should be embraced.

My original plan, in the interest of expediency, was to use a can of tomato paste, but we were all out, so instead I placed the sun-dried tomatoes along with the broth from the seitan and the water from the can of corn into a blender and pureed. I chopped the onion and bell pepper into smallish pieces (chunky would be fine, if you're so inclined) and sauteed them in the olive oil. I sliced the carrots thinnish (to cook them faster, but again, it's a matter of preference) and added them to the pot along with the corn once the onions were translucent. Then I added the water and seasonings and brought everything to a boil. Then the seitan (chopped into chunks) and finally the tomato puree. I then simmered it until the carrots were tender (approximately 20 minutes). Preparation & cooking took all of about 30 minutes. We ate it with toasted multigrain bread, and it was yummy.

I also had a bottle of Wolaver's brown ale. This was an impulse purchase the other day from our local supermarket. I had never seen it before and liked the idea of organic beer - two great concepts in one product - so I bought their sampler, which contains 4 each of their brown ale, pale ale, and IPA. It was tasty, and I'm looking forward to trying their oatmeal stout come October.