If you miss salami in sandwiches, on pizza, or just rolled up around a pickle, this recipe is for you. Plenty of spices and chunky “fat” give it a remarkably authentic look and flavor. Serve at room temperature, or warm it up in a little oil in a pan before adding it to pasta or a sandwich.
Yield: 2 ¼ pounds • Mixing And Shaping Time: 30 minutes, Cooking Time: 1 hour
For the fat
½ cup vital wheat gluten
2 teaspoons organic granulated sugar
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked salt
½ cup water
1 tablespoon refined coconut oil, melted
For the meat
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
1 tablespoon whole yellow mustard seeds
2 cups vital wheat gluten
½ cup chickpea flour
¼ cup tapioca flour
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 ½ teaspoons smoked salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup water
2 tablespoons beet powder
½ cup dry red wine
¼ cup red miso paste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Set up a steamer (page 23). Fold over a sheet of cheesecloth so it is doubled. Cut a 16-inch-long piece and prepare twist ties or kitchen string for tying the ends (the salami will be about 10 inches long, so if that will not fit in your steamer, plan to make two shorter salamis). Tear off a 6-inch-wide piece of foil and line it with a 5-inch-wide piece of parchment paper.
Make the fat: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, sugar, onion powder, and smoked salt.
In a cup, stir together the water and oil. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture and knead with your hands just until mixed.
Place the dough on the parchment paper-lined foil and flatten it to a ½-inch thickness. Fold the parchment paper over the dough and wrap the dough with the foil tightly, crimping and sealing the packet.
Place the packet in the steamer and steam for 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 180°F. Remove from the heat. Set aside to cool completely.
Unwrap the packet and slice the fat into thin strips. Dice the strips into ¼- to ½-inch cubes, so they look like ground fat chunks.
Make the meat: Place the black peppercorns and mustard seeds in a small sandwich bag and pound them with the bottom of a small pot or a meat tenderizer until they are cracked. Leave them coarse—it’s fine if some are just broken in half. In a large bowl, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, flours, nutritional yeast, peppercorns, mustard seeds, smoked salt, and paprika until well blended. Add the diced fat and toss to combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the water and beet powder until the beet powder is fully dissolved. Add the wine, miso, tomato paste, oil, and vinegar and whisk until smooth.
Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until combined and then knead gently for 3 minutes to activate the vital wheat gluten. The dough will be soft and the chunks will fall out; just press them back in.
Place the dough on the length of cheesecloth and form it into a 5-inch-wide log. Wrap the log tightly in the cheesecloth, rolling on the counter until it is rounded. Roll it up and twist the ends. Bind the twisted ends with the twist ties or string.
Place the roll in the steamer, cover, and steam for 1 hour, checking to replenish the water as needed. The internal temperature should reach 180°F or more. Remove from the heat.
Remove the roll and set aside to cool completely.
Refrigerate the roll overnight.
To use, unwrap the roll and slice it thinly to serve.
This peppery, dense pastrami is a joy sliced thinly and served in sandwiches or on a charcuterie tray. To make the pastrami’s very coarse, chunky mix of pepper and spices, you’ll put whole spices in a sandwich bag and pound them with the bottom of a pot or a meat tenderizer, if you have one. In this recipe, poached whole garlic cloves stand in for fat, and they also give the pastrami a luscious garlicky flavor.
Yield: 1 ½ pounds • Mixing And Shaping Time: 40 minutes, Cooking Time: 1 hour, chilling time: 8 hours
¼ cup peeled whole garlic cloves
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 cups vital wheat gluten
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ cups prepared mock chicken-flavored broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon beet powder
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Tear off a 1-foot-square piece of foil and an 8-inch-wide piece of parchment paper. Ready a baking sheet. Set aside.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the garlic cloves and poach for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain. Set aside to cool and then cut into ¼- to ½-inch chunks.
Place the black peppercorns and coriander seeds in a small sandwich bag and pound them with the bottom of a small pot or a meat tenderizer until they are cracked. Leave them coarse; it’s fine if some are just broken in half. Set aside 1 tablespoon of this mixture and put the rest in a large bowl.
Add the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, paprika, fennel seeds, granulated garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked salt, and cumin to the bowl and stir until well combined. Stir in the garlic chunks.
In a second bowl, stir together the prepared broth, oil, ketchup, and beet powder. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until well combined.
Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and form it into a 5-inch-by-3-inch loaf. Sprinkle half of the reserved pepper and coriander seed mixture in the center of the parchment paper in the shape of the loaf and then place the loaf on top of it. Wrap the loaf in the parchment paper and then tightly wrap the foil around it.
Place the wrapped loaf on the baking sheet and bake on the top rack for 1 hour. Remove from the oven. Open the foil and set aside on a rack to cool to room temperature.
Chill for at least 8 hours before slicing.
Slice thinly and serve chilled in sandwiches or on a charcuterie platter.
These spicy sausages are relatively quick to make, and you can freeze them for pizzas and other Italian favorites down the road. You can use TVP/TSP or bulgur in this recipe; either will create a nice chewy texture. The heat is moderate, so if you like a hotter pepperoni, increase the red pepper flakes amount to 1 tablespoon.
Yield: 4 links (1 ½ pounds) • Mixing And Shaping Time: 20 minutes, Cooking Time: 50 minutes
½ cup prepared mock beef-flavored broth
½ cup TVP
1 cup water
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons red miso paste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons beet powder
1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon organic granulated sugar
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
Set up a steamer (page 23). Tear off four 8-inch-square sheets of foil and four 6-inch-by-7-inch sheets of parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small pot with a lid over high heat, bring the prepared broth to a boil. Add the TVP and stir until well combined. Cover and remove from the heat.
In a cup, stir together the water, tomato paste, miso, oil, and beet powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, paprika, garlic, sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir the water mixture and the TVP mixture into the dry mixture and then knead it with your hands.
Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and divide it into four equal portions. Form each portion into a 1 ½-inch-wide log. Wrap each portion in parchment paper and then again in foil, twisting the ends tightly to seal.
Place the logs in the steamer, cover, and steam for 50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 180°F. Remove from the heat.
Use in recipes or store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, or for up to 3 months in the freezer.
This smooth, sliceable baloney is fantastic in sandwiches, or chopped and added to salads. I’m partial to the fried baloney sandwich and love to sear slices in a little oil before slapping them on toasted bread, and smearing on some mustard, mayo, and pickle relish.
Yield: 1 ¾ pound • Mixing And Shaping Time: 20 minutes, Cooking Time: 1 hour
12 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
¼ cup white miso paste
1 tablespoon beet powder
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten
¼ cup arrowroot
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons mock beef-flavored broth powder
2 tablespoons organic granulated sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked salt
Set up a steamer (page 23). Tear off a piece of parchment about 9 inches square, and a piece of foil about a foot long.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, crumble the tofu and puree until smooth, scraping down as needed to get a consistently smooth texture. Add the miso, beet powder, and ketchup, and puree. Scrape around the bottom of the bowl and puree again to mix well.
In a large bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten, arrowroot, nutritional yeast, mock broth powder, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked salt. Mix well, making sure the beet powder is incorporated.
Scrape the tofu mixture into the gluten mixture and stir to mix well. If necessary, dump it out on the counter and knead to incorporate all the flour. Form into a 4- to 5-inch-wide log, smoothing the surface. Roll in the parchment paper and then wrap in foil, twisting the ends to secure.
Steam for 1 hour. Cool on a rack, unwrap to let it cool completely.
Serve thinly sliced, either cold, or fried in a pan.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, tightly wrapped, or for up to 3 months in the freezer.
French Pâté with Pistachios and Peppercorns en Croute
For a pretty presentation, this recipe is studded with green pistachios and chunky peppercorns, just like a classic French pâté. The secret ingredient is parsnip, which purees to a silky smoothness and sweetly balances with rich walnuts. You don’t have to wrap it in puff pastry (you can unmold and serve it before the baking instructions below), but it makes for a real showstopper at parties. Without the pastry, it is gluten free.
Yield: 8 servings (2 cups) • Pâté Cooking Time: 30 minutes, pastry and Cooking Time: 1 hour
Canola oil for greasing
2 cups peeled and sliced parsnip (about 1 large)
½ pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
½ cup prepared mock chicken- or beef-flavored broth
1 teaspoon agar powder
1 cup raw walnuts
1 tablespoon dark miso paste
½ teaspoon smoked salt
½ cup coarsely chopped pistachios
2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black peppercorns
1 premade puff pastry sheet (Pepperidge Farm is vegan)
2 tablespoons soy milk for brushing
2 tablespoons light agave nectar
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Ready a 1- to 2-cup rectangular glass storage container or small loaf pan by lightly greasing it with the canola oil. Set aside. Combine the parsnip and mushrooms in a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan. Add the garlic and drizzle the coconut oil over all. Cover with foil and roast for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Uncover and roast for 20 minutes, or until very tender and browned. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a small pot over medium heat, place the prepared broth. Sprinkle the agar powder over it and whisk to combine. While whisking constantly, bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, still whisking constantly, until the agar is dissolved and the liquid is very thick.
Place the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade and grind them to a smooth paste. Add the roasted parsnip mixture, miso, and smoked salt to the food processor and puree until smooth. Add the agar mixture to the food processor and puree until smooth. Add the pistachios and peppercorns and pulse until just combined.
Scrape the contents of the food processor into the prepared storage container. Smooth the top and chill, covered, for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days, or until completely chilled.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lightly greasing it with the canola oil.
Place the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry to even out the seams and make it 1 inch wider in each direction.
Run a knife around the pâté in the storage container and place a plate over it. Flip the container to drop the pâté onto the plate. Turn the pâté over onto the center of the pastry and wrap the dough around the pâté. Trim off any excess, and, if desired, roll it out and cut into decorative shapes.
Place the wrapped pâté, seam side down, in the baking pan. If using the decorative puff shapes, brush the back of them with water and stick to them to the wrapped pâté as desired.
In a cup, whisk together the soy milk and agave nectar. Using a pastry brush, paint the finished puff pastry with the mixture. If the dough has gotten soft, chill the wrapped pâté in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool on a rack for 20 minutes, or until it reaches room temperature.
Slice and serve warm.
Pâté is usually an ultra-rich puree of liver, one of the fattier organs. In this recipe, umami-rich dried and fresh mushrooms team up to provide a smooth, meaty pâté. A bit of agar makes it sliceably firm, so you can unmold it on a plate or charcuterie tray and let guests sliver it and spread it on crackers.
Yield: 1 ½ cups • Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Canola oil for greasing
1 ounce dried porcini or other mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
¾ pound fresh cremini mushrooms, chopped
¾ teaspoon smoked salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon agar powder
Ready a 1- to 2-cup rectangular glass storage container or small loaf pan by lightly greasing it with the canola oil. Set aside.
Place the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Set aside to rehydrate and cool for 15 minutes or until softened.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until golden and soft. Add the fresh mushrooms and sauté for 10 minutes, or until all the liquids come out and begin to cook down. Continue to sauté, stirring frequently, until the mixture is nearly dry. Remove from the heat.
Drain the dried mushrooms and reserve the soaking water. Transfer the rehydrated mushrooms to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Add the contents of the pan, the smoked salt, and the black pepper and puree until smooth.
In a small saucepan over high heat, boil the reserved soaking water until it reduces by half. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
Sprinkle the agar over the soaking water and return it to medium heat. While whisking constantly, bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, still whisking constantly, until the agar is dissolved and the liquid is very thick.
Pour the hot liquid into the food processor bowl and puree again until smooth.
Scrape the contents of the food processor into the prepared storage container. Smooth the top and chill, covered, for at least 1 hour.
To serve, run a knife around the pâté in the storage container and place a plate over it. Flip the container to drop the pâté onto the plate. Slice and serve cold.
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