Seitan is an ideal meat and fish substitute. With little experience in preparing seitan dishes, people trying to eliminate animal foods will never even miss them. Seitan readily accepts all types of seasoning; marinated and cooked in red wine and stock, it makes a succulent bourguignon; ground like chopped meat, it is a great addition to old favorites like chili, meat loaf, sloppy Joes, lasagna, spaghetti sauce, Swedish meatballs, tacos, and burgers. Seitan can be breaded and deep-fried or prepared like cutlets; pan -fried and smothered in onions and mushrooms; added to New England Boiled Dinner (see recipe in the Tamari section), sandwiches, stews, casseroles, fried rice, shishkabob, pot pies, stir-fries, and salads. If desired, season the dish you are making with appropriate herbs for a specific flavor. For example, rosemary and thyme lend a more meaty taste, and of course, oregano or marjoram, basil, and garlic are indispensable in Italian cooking. European and American cooks immediately know what to do with this meat-like food, and are able to prepare dishes that are familiar and enjoyable to guests and family.

Seitan Sandwich From a simple, vegetarian "roast beef" sandwich to a giant "sub", there's no end to the variety of sandwiches you can make with seitan. For example, make a quick, nutritious lunch by simply spreading a little mayo and mustard on whole grain bread, and adding thinly sliced seitan, tomato, lettuce, sliced red onion and sprouts. Enjoy!

Serves 3
Variation: Add a little fresh ginger juice along with the kuzu.

2 cups spring water
4-inch piece Mitoku Hidaka Wild Kombu
1-2 carrots, cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 rutabaga (yellow turnip), peeled and cut into chunks
10-12 green beans or Brussels sprouts
2 teaspoons Mitoku Virgin Sesame Oil
1 onion, cut into eighths
6-8 Mitoku Dried Donko Shiitake caps, reconstituted and quartered
1 1/2 cups bite-sized chunks Mitoku Seitan
1/2 bay leaf
pinch rosemary
1/4 teaspoon Masu 100% Sea Water Salt
1 tablespoon Mitoku Johsen Shoyu
2 tablespoons Wild Akizuki Kuzu, crushed

Bring water and kombu to a boil. Remove kombu and reserve. (It may be reused to make a stock, or cooked later with beans or vegetables.) Parboil carrots, rutabaga, and green vegetable individually until almost tender. Remove immediately and allow to cool in a strainer or colander. Heat oil in a skillet and sauté onion for 3-5 minutes, then add mushrooms and a small pinch of salt and sauté for a few minutes more. Add seitan, then vegetables, and sauté all together briefly. Add the bay leaf and pinch of rosemary to the 2 cups of stock, then add vegetables and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, add shoyu to taste and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Dissolve the kuzu in 2 tablespoons cold water, add to stew, and slowly bring back to a boil, stirring constantly but gently. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and serve.

Pasta and Bean Potage Serves 8 This is a variation on Italian Pasta e Fagioli. Besides lending rich flavor, seitan adds plenty of protein to enhance that of the beans. In winter, serve it thick, but in spring and summer, more liquid, more and lighter vegetables such as fresh corn and zucchini, less beans, and the use of fresh herbs makes a lighter, more appropriate version. 2 cups pinto beans 9 cups spring water 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons Masu 100% Sea Water Salt 1 large bay leaf, broken into 2-3 pieces 1/4-1/3 cup spaghetti sauce (optional) 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 onions, diced 3 carrots, diced 2 ribs celery, sliced 1/6 head cabbage, sliced crosswise into thin strips pinch Masu 100% Sea Water Salt 2 cups pasta shells or elbows 2 cups Mitoku Seitan, cut into bite-size chunks 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried 1/2 tablespoon fresh marjoram or oregano, chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried Wash beans, cover with fresh water, and let soak 8-12 hours. Drain, and combine with the water and 1 clove of the garlic in a large pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, covered, until beans are just tender (about 2 hours), adding more water if needed to keep beans covered. When tender, add salt, bay leaf, and, if desired, spaghetti sauce and continue simmering. Meanwhile, sauté remaining garlic and onion in olive oil over low heat. Add carrots, celery, cabbage, and salt, and sauté briefly. Add water to cover and simmer 5-10 minutes. Add vegetables to beans and cook together 5 minutes. Add pasta along with the seitan and simmer until pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed to prevent pasta from sticking. Add the herbs for the last minute of cooking. Add more salt or soy sauce to taste, if needed. Serve hot.

Pasta Salad with Peanut Sauce Serves 4 This simple, nutritious, all-season salad is full of flavor and bright colors. Substitute other vegetables if desired. 1 8-ounce package pasta shells 4 cups broccoli flowers and stems, cut into bite-size pieces 1 medium carrot, julienne 1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut in thin strips 1/4 cup Mitoku Black Sesame Seeds, light roasted in a dry pan 1 1/2 cups Mitoku Seitan, cut into bite-sized pieces Peanut Sauce: 3 tablespoons peanut butter 1/4 cup warm water 1-2 tablespoons Mitoku Yaemon Tamari (to taste) 2 tb Mitoku Toasted Sesame Oil 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon Mitoku Ginger Powder 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced Cook noodles according to the directions on the package, drain, rinse in cool water and set aside. Separately blanche broccoli and carrots by dropping them into boiling, lightly salted water until they turn bright in color (3-5 minutes). Immediately immerse them in water to set the color, then drain and set aside. Toss the pasta, vegetables, sesame seeds and seitan together in a large bowl. Combine all sauce ingredients in a suribachi (Japanese grinding bowl), mortar, or blender and mix well. Pour over salad, toss gently, and serve.

Serves 3

1 tablespoon Mitoku Virgin Sesame Oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
8-10 Mitoku Dried Donko Shiitake caps, reconstituted and sliced
1 1/2 cups Mitoku Seitan, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons Mitoku Kuzu, crushed
1 tablespoon Mitoku Johsen Shoyu
pinch of white pepper
1/2 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 cup dry red wine mixed with 1/3 cup spring water
6 ounces egg noodles
minced parsley for garnish

Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté onions over low heat for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté together briefly, then add seitan and brown lightly. Sprinkle with kuzu powder and toss to coat evenly and roast slightly. Add shoyu, pepper, herbs, and wine mixture to just cover the seitan. Stir gently then simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes.

Cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. After rinsing and draining, divide noodles and place them in individual serving bowls. Cover with a generous portion of Bourguignonne and garnish with parsley.