INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 small tomato, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
½ cup red wine
3 Tbsp. molasses
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. cinnamon
3 cups boiling water
3 russet potatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped rutabaga
2 large carrots, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
16 oz. seitan, cubed
Chopped parsley to taste
PREPARATION
• In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic and celery, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and translucent.
• Add the tomato, tomato paste, red wine, molasses, paprika and cinnamon. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, making sure the tomatoes have broken down.
• Once the mixture has reduced by half, add the boiling water, potatoes, rutabaga and carrots. Season with a little more salt and pepper.
• Increase the heat to medium-high until the mixture comes to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat back to medium. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the potatoes start to break down, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• At this point, if the potatoes haven’t thickened the stock enough, add a mixture of cornstarch and water (œ tablespoon of cornstarch and 1/8 cup water at a time) until it reaches desired consistency.
• Add the corn and seitan and stir. Cook for another 10 minutes, allowing the seitan to soak up the flavors.
• Spoon into bowls and adjust the seasoning one last time, if needed. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
This article appears in October 2014.