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3/22 - Seitan Stroganoff

When I noticed The Boy eyeing one of those beef stroganoff box meals at the store the other day, I decided to make a vegan version to satisfy his craving. Now I've never had beef stroganoff in my life, so I had no idea what I was getting into. I originally planned to make the recipe from VwaV, but I was missing too many ingredients. I didn't have shallots, or wine, or dijon mustard, or either type of mushroom it called for... you get the idea. So I found a simpler recipe online here and went to town.

I had some leftover VwaV seitan in the freezer, so I defrosted that - and to those who were wondering, it freezes just fine. The recipe was pretty simple to put together, and we had it over fettuccine noodles that I broke in half before boiling. The Boy loved it, but I won't make it again unless he requests it. And then I'll make something different for myself. It wasn't bad, I just didn't really care for it. It was extremely rich, for one thing - I couldn't even finish half of what I dished out for myself.

Then there were the mushrooms. I don't like mushrooms unless they're covered in something extremely delicious, and even then they need to be chopped up so I don't really see them. There were a few in a mango curry I had at an Indian place one time, but the sauce was so good that I didn't even notice them. That wasn't the case here. I sliced them up, but the overall flavor just didn't do it for me.

I don't know. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it that much either. But I think it's just me, because The Boy gave it two thumbs up.

I love mushroom stroganoff! I used to be a manager at a Noodles & Co. back in Maryland and I was so happy that the stroganoff sauce was vegetarian. Very rich and fattening, but this was long before I was doing anything about my crappy eating habits and was eating noodles every day. I never used to like mushrooms when I was a kid, but now I adore them. I always dished out way more than the 1oz recipe spec for the stroganoff. I just made myself really hungry…d’oh.

I hate mushrooms and refuse to cook with them. If they are in things I will sometimes eat them (like in Amy's tofu, veggie, brown rice bowl) but sometimes I just pile them up in the corner of my plate picky child-style.

shananigans - I love noodles. But noodles with mushrooms in them was not such a good time. I do wish that restaurant existed in PA, though.

emily - I'm inclined to pick them out and pile them someplace. I do that whenever I get vegetable lo mein. I've tried to like them, I just... really can't. Which sucks because they're such a vegetarian staple, ya know?

all I can say is yumm!!! yumm!!!

do you have the link to the recipe from VwaV??

wow, I <3 mushrooms. But anyway, your stroganoff looks really good. (I like stroganoff :)). Did you freeze the seitan before or after pan-frying it?

I hate how people always assume vegetarians love mushrooms, it's especially bad when there is one veg menu item and it's like a portabello mushroom with a mushroom gravy and I'm like "ewwwww!"

kunsjoi - Thanks! :)

anonymous - Do you mean the VwaV stroganoff recipe? I've never posted it myself, and I don't think I've seen it online. I'd reccommend the book - it's an excellent purchase.

sarchan - I froze it "raw," i.e. after simmering but before cooking in any other way.

emily - Word. Mushrooms are nasty.

chris - Yeah, the boatload of mushrooms made me nervous. The flavor probably would've been better than the recipe I made, though.

I've only started eating mushrooms the past 4 years - and I only like cremini, button and sometimes portabella. They're fleshy little veggies that sorta creep me out. I can't stand them smothered in sauce, and I don't like seitan either (just making it) but this still looks really good..so..good job! : )

Oooo, I love mushrooms. And pretty much all vegetables. Which if you ask my mother, is some sort of divine miracle because nary a veggie EVER crossed my lips until I was about 19 or 20 years old, and into being healthy. Even as a "vegetarian" in the 9th grade, it was bagels and mac and cheese all the way.

Now, I'm very into veggies. Part of it has been me having to force myself to just keep trying them until they're palatable, because they're just pretty much the best thing out there for you. While fruit will always be my pure natural love, veggies are getting up there. I think you do have to develop a palate for them, though. When people are used to more refined and processed stuff, vegetables can taste like poo.

http://www.theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=113

Thats the recipe from VwaV.
I love mushrooms and strongnaff, by the way.

Emily, I'm so with you and vegancore. Mushrooms = ICK! I've never liked them and doubt I ever will. Every few years, I'll try them again, but they are still gross. I don't like fresh tomatoes either. Cook them any way and I can eat them fine. Trying to eat a fresh tomato wedge makes me gag. Physically gag. Anyway, the stroganoff sounds good. I like seiten and find it very versitile.

jess - I always think it's kind of weird how food you don't like can still look good. I've seen dishes made up entirely of things I don't care for and I still wanted to eat it. Weird.

ms. mercedes - I was a pizza-french fries-mac and cheese vegetarian for a long time too. Even now I'm a carbaholic. I need to get more veggies into my diet, because you're right, they really are just the best thing you can eat. And it's so true about processed food changing your tastes. I'm pretty sure if I could manage to eschew all packaged, processed, fried, or sugar-laden foods for a while my tastes would change dramatically. That's unlikely to happen anytime soon, though. I love me some vegan junk food. :)

grace - Thanks for the link! I didn't realize the PPK recipe was the same one.

carrie - I hate raw tomatoes! They are squishy and smell weird and the texture reminds me of open wounds. Cooked is fine, though. Good to know I'm not alone in this one. :)

Well, actually, I'm not sure if they are the exact same recipe, but the Post Punk Kitchen is the same people as VwaV, so I'm just guessing they are the same.

Well it sure *looks* good :-) I actually set off on a mission to start liking mushrooms and now the cashier at the produce store calls me "the mushroom lady." I blogged it last year. http://guinnah.blogspot.com/2005/01/coming-to-terms-with-mushrooms.html#links
A minor miracle in my book. I really hated them!

grace - It is the same recipe. :)

nancy - Wow, I'm definitely going to take a look at your mushroom journey. I can't believe you actually made the switch!

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