Glazed Seitan and Cabbage Stir-Fry

Saturday, February 28, 2009

In my neighborhood, eating fresh and local November through March is a little rough.  This time of year, if I want anything fresh, I have to head 45 minutes south (Reading Terminal Market), north (Allentown Farmers Market) or west (Phoenixville Farmers’ Market).  Anything that is, except cabbage. 

I found a collection of monstrous cabbage heads Bill Seulke’s Produce stand in the Q-Mart today and just couldn’t pass them up.  The one we picked up weighed in at almost eight pounds, and at 33-cents a pound, cost a mere $2.50.  I combined it with a tub of Ray’s Seitan and frozen peppers from my Blooming Glen Farm CSA share for a quick, yummy dinner

Glazed Seitan and Cabbage Stir-Fry
(modified from Vegetarian Times)
Serves 6

Glazed Seitan
3 Tbs. maple syrup
3 Tbs. orange juice
1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 12-oz. pkg. seitan, chopped

Stir-Fry
3/4 cup almonds (halved, whole, slivered, whatever)
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. sesame oil
1 1/2 lbs. shredded cabbage (about 4 cups)
3 bell peppers, cut into strips (about 2 cups)
2 Tbs. minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
9 Tbs. orange juice
1 1/4 Tbs. arrowroot powder

To make Glazed Seitan:
Combine syrup, juice and soy sauce in small bowl.
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add seitan, and stir-fry 4 minutes, or until golden. Add maple syrup mixture, and simmer 3 minutes, or until seitan is coated with glaze. Transfer to bowl. Wipe out skillet.

To make Stir-Fry:
Toast almonds in dry skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to bowl. Heat 1 Tbs. sesame oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, 2 Tbs. water and cover, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and stir-fry 2 minutes.
Move vegetables to sides of skillet, and pour remaining 1 tsp. oil in center. Add ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, and stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in 2 Tbs. water, seitan and almonds. Cover, and cook 2 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
Combine orange juice and arrowroot powder. Stir into vegetable mixture. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat, and serve.

I served the stir-fry over soba noodles that I covered with a mixture of orange juice, sesame oil and arrowroot, though just about any grain or noodle would work great. While we ate, my boyfriend remarked that chunks of grilled pineapple would make a nice addition, which got us daydreaming about summertime and the gobs of fresh fruits and veggies awaiting us…  amazing how a tiny splash of light, crisp citrus on a pile of fresh, local ingredients can brighten up a murky February day, eh?