Vegetarian Beef Stew

After doing a little bit of “research,” it seems that beef stew is like any other comfort food: It means different things to different people. The one I grew up on was a simple yet tasty combination of onion, carrot, potatoes and beef. My husband, however, says it isn’t beef stew without tomatoes and corn added into the mix. Others declare celery a must; still others swear off the carrots altogether. All of this contradiction tells us two things: 1) Like most stews, you can change up your vegetables based on what you like or have on hand, because 2) the most important thing here is the base. As long as it’s rich and flavorful, you’ve sealed your fate to years of stew-filled Sunday suppers. For this recipe, I started with onion, garlic and celery, which all got combined with a tomato base. Paprika added color and spice, and cinnamon lent an earthy sort of sweetness. Lastly, I deglazed everything with red wine, then dropped in some molasses to really deepen the flavor. After a little bit of bubbling, the result was a dark, rich base that held up well when the water was added (Who likes a limp stew?). I’m sure some of you have skimmed the list of ingredients by now, and I’d bet my best apron that you’re getting hung up on the one second from the bottom. Maybe because it’s not familiar to you, or maybe because you think it’s pronounced like a certain someone who lurks in a fiery place with a pitchfork. Well, in this column, we’ve been pretty easy on you thus far, replacing meat with a miraculous treatment of mushrooms and seasonings. The time has come to carry you out of your comfort zone and introduce you to my favorite meat substitute, especially for stews: seitan (SAY-tan). One of the few substitutes not made from soy, seitan is actually gluten that has been extracted from wheat. It’s also very high in protein, which earns it bonus points with us vegetarians since that’s what we lose out on the most by choosing the road less, um, traveled. Sure, you could be a vegetarian superstar and make it yourself. Or, you can pat yourself on the back for even considering it, pick up a pre-made variety from the store and spend those precious hours catching up on sleep with a full belly and some wonderfully comforting aromas filling the air. As with most meat substitutes, it’s important not to judge on appearance. When you remove seitan from the package, it will look and feel like a springy version of cooked chicken, although slightly darker in color. But with the first bite after it’s taken a bath in that rich, steamy stew you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much it resembles the tender, luscious texture of stew meat, even more so the next day (if you have leftovers, that is). Remember to get creative with your veggies, too. I turned to the classic combination of potatoes and carrots and added a bit of rutabaga and corn for texture. You could also try turnips or parsnips in there, maybe even green beans or peas. For an extra boost of protein, try serving it over some quinoa, aka the Superman of grains. No matter how you mix it up, one thing stays true: Beef … it’s not the only thing for dinner anymore.