Our Veggie Kitchen

There's veggie coffee house in town that serves 'Silly' Cheesesteak. How can you not like that? Well, Shortly before I discovered this phenomenon, they decided to close their kitchen for a remodel. They've been closed for about a month and I've wanted cheesesteak ever since. Last night, I finally took matters into my own hands and made my own. Later, I spoke with my dad on the phone and I could hear his eyes blink as he tried to comprehend vegan cheesesteak.



Philly Cheesesteak:
This really isn't a recipe. Basically, take 4 beefy seitan cutlets from the freezer and allow them to partially defrost. Keep them as frozen as possible, though. Slice each cutlet as thinly as possible, then roughly chop the pile of seitan. Saute about 1/4 cup diced green pepper and half an onion (sliced in half rings) in a little oil and, when soft, add the chopped setian. Cook, stirring frequently, until the seitan is hot. I added a little of the cooking liquid from the seitan, but I don't know if it made any difference.

Spread a little Earth Balance on a hoagie roll and put under the broiler until browned. Pile on some of the steak mixture, then pour on some cheese sauce. I used the sauce from VeganDad's Mac & Cheese, but Nacho Sauce would work too, perhaps even better. I also smeared on lots of horseradish.

Chickpea Romesco:
I also made Chickpeas Romesco from the Veganomicon. I made it straight from the book, hence no recipe, and I must say, I was fairly impressed. It had nice fresh taste and the flavors came together well, which was a concern because I'm not a big roasted pepper fan. I was going to stir in some pasta shells, but, instead, poured it over rice. I think next time I will add some tomato paste, or a mix of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and cook it with pasta.