Seitan Burgundy with Whipped Purple Cauliflower Potato

Oh, it sounds schmancy, but it's not so bad - I promise.  And I've been craving it All. Week. Long! 

The original burgundy recipe came from Martha Stewart.  She had a show in which vegan Biz Stone (the founder of Twitter, if I remember correctly) shared his Seitan Bourguignon dish.  He also shared that he and his wife read to each other in the kitchen while the other is cooking.  *meltmyheart
Obviously they have a much more peaceful and slow-paced household than ours is at present, of which, yes, I am very jealous.

I've tweaked Biz's recipe a fair amount, of course.

The Burgundy:
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 lb seitan, bite sized
2 onions, chopped
10 oz mushrooms, sliced
4 large carrots, or a pile of smaller ones
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup for those a little more woodchucky)
3/4 of a bottle of pinot noir, divided
2 cups veggie stock, divided
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
2-3 Tbsp AP flour & water
Salt & Pepper

In a large saute pan, brown the seitan in oil.  Remove seitan and set aside. 
Lower the heat under the pan and add the onion and mushrooms, cooking til tender. 

Add seitan back in along with the carrots and garlic, and cook for a few more minutes.
Add tomato paste/ketchup, half the bottle of wine, 1 cup of the veggie stock, bay leaves, and thyme.

Cover and simmer a good hour. 
Add more wine and broth if liquid has evaporated.
Mix the lumpless flour/water mixture in so it gets a glossy, gravy-like consistency. 
Add salt and pepper to taste.

*****

I do believe mashed potato is probably my favorite food in all the world, when it comes right down to it. I don't make it that often, but when I do there's no skimping on the good stuff (i.e. "butter" and salt, etc).  And when I saw the purple cauliflower in the produce aisle, I couldn't resist.  Even the youngest daughter who doesn't eat mashed potato OR cauliflower of her own free will (whose child is this again?) thought it was uber cool and pretty, if nothing else.

The WPC Potato:
1 head purple cauliflower, chopped
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup or so of Earth Balance butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup unsweetened plain soy milk
Salt & Pepper
Garlic powder

Boil potato for about 10 minutes. 
Add cauliflower into the potato pot and cook another 5-7 minutes, til tender.
Drain, return to pot. 

Add butter, milk, and seasonings to taste; whip with an electric mixer til smooth. 

Spoon the seitan burgundy over the mashed cauli/potato as you ooh and aah and mmm, grin, and make little clappy motions with your hands - while your oldest daughter looks at you as if you've taken leave of your senses, but at the same time waits in anticipation herself.