Gluten Steaks or Gluten Thanksgiving Turkey -Vegan

                                                                 Gluten Steaks

 Gluten Turkey 

This is the traditional recipe for making gluten that my family has used for generations. It takes quite a while to make because it has to set quite a few hours or overnight to release the gluten from the flour. Don't plan an starting this a couple of hours before dinner because you will not have time to finish it. The flour can't be rushed. 

     I am also including the quick gluten option below. It starts with pre-made gluten flour and does not require the time to set or to be rinsed out. There is a different texture to quick gluten. It is very tasty, but good old fashion, slow made gluten is impossible to beat.
   I always try to make extra so I can freeze some steaks in a Ziplock bag or a glass frozen container.  I can then grab it out to add to dishes as needed.  I defrost it in the refrigerator since it freezes in one hard chunk, but if I need it right away I just microwave it until it is soft enough to break apart.
   I know that the gluten-free rage is sweeping over the nation, but gluten really is a great natural food product for those who do not have gluten sensitivities. 

Choose either:

 Option A - Old Fashioned Gluten Steaks or 
                                       Thanksgiving turkey
          OR 

 Option B - Quick Gluten - SEE BELOW 


----    Option A - Old Fashioned  ---- 

Grandma’s Old Fashion Gluten Steaks or 
                    Thanksgiving Turkey- Vegan                                 

Step 1, Mixing - 

                             

    In large bowl place 5-10 lbs. of unbleached white flour (I use Gold Metal), depending on the amount of of gluten that you need. Using your hands (or a nice Bosch mixer with a dough hook :) work in just enough water to form a thick dough ( I don't ever measure it, but it is ~7 cups for each 5 lbs. of flour that you use). Work in water thoroughly to get out almost all of the lumps. Then add water to the bowl and cover completely over with water to soak.  Let set ~5-6 hours or over night if possible. 
   To make 15-20 lbs or more use separate bowls and repeat the recipe as needed. I would suggest getting comfortable making gluten before you attempt a huge batch or a super 15-20 lb turkey.    

                      

Step 2, Rinsing - after 5-10 hours   

    Take about ¼ - ½ of the flour mixture and place it in a large bowl in a sink with running water available. Wash & squeeze the dough in fresh water to get out the starch. The water will turn very white. Change thick white water with fresh water as needed. Keep rinsing until water is slightly milky. Mixture will separate and make lots of small pieces so be careful when pouring water off not to loose pieces out of your bowl. Keep washing and squeezing all pieces together until mixture comes back together and forms a large soft ball. Set aside and repeat process until all the flour mixture is rinsed.

Step 3, Cooking – Option Steaks or Turkey - 
    The gluten up to this pint is the same. Now you choose whether to cook it in small pieces (easiest) or in one piece to make a turkey. 

   Prepare Dark Broth- SEE RECIPE  BELOW

A.   Gluten Steaks Cut or pull gluten into 3” to 4” chunks and stretch out until about ½’ thick. Drop pieces into a large kettle of boiling Dark Broth. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover with vented lid and cook on very low heat for ~1 hour.  

B.   Gluten Turkey - Stretch whole lump over metal colander (or a large can - I have used a large pumpkin can at Thanksgiving time)  placed in the bottom of a large kettle of boiling Dark Broth. Cover and cook on low heat for ~1½ hours. Cool and stuff with stuffing. Bake in low heated oven, basting as needed. 
      - SEE additional recipes below for turkey stuffing and basting.
       

     

---   Option B  - Quick Gluten   --- 
                                        Ready in just over an hour.

    Quick Gluten Steaks - Vegan 

Mix together very well:

4         cups high gluten flour 

2         cups unbleached white flour 
                   or whole wheat pastry flour

Add all at once: (If you add and stir 1 cup water at a time it can absorb into hard lumps that will not mix out smooth again.)

5       cups cool water 

Mix well and knead a little. Cover with water and let mixture rest for a few minutes. 

While it is resting prepare one recipe Dark Broth.

Cut or pull gluten into 3” to 4” chunks and stretch out until about ½’ thick. Drop pieces into a large kettle of boiling Dark Broth. Stir and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to low. Cover with vented lid and cook on very low heat for ~1 hour until done.  

Grandma’s Dark Broth for Gluten   - Vegan

One recipe will make enough broth for up to 10 lb. Old Fashion Gluten Steaks or one recipe Quick Gluten Steaks. 

                       

In large thick bottom kettle/stock pot combine:  

3       quarts water

½      cup McKay’s beef or chicken seasoning

1       cup soy sauce

1       large onion, chopped into ~1 inch chunks

6       cloves garlic or 1 Tbsp. garlic flakes

½      cup nutritional yeast flakes

1       Tbsp. lecithin granules, optional

1       Tbsp. olive oil, margarine or butter 

2       tsp. onion powder

2       tsp. garlic powder

Bring broth to boil: 

Drop prepared raw gluten steaks into boiling broth. Stir and bring to boil again. Reduce heat to low. Cover with vented lid and boil on very low heat for ~1 hr. for gluten steaks, or ~1½ hrs. for one gluten turkey.

Grandma’s Breading Meal Mix for Fried Gluten Steaks

Mix all together in a large bowl:

1 cup unbleached flour

1 cup barley flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup yeast flakes

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. onion powder

3 tsp. salt

1 tsp. paprika

Place about one cup of meal into a bowl or plate and roll cooked gluten in it. Place in hot frying pan with a small amount of oil until golden brown turning as needed to fry both sides. Serve hot. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers. This makes great leftovers if you slice them up in sandwiches!

Grandma's Stuffing Mix for Gluten Turkey 5-20lbs.

Place in very large bowl:

(use 1 box of dry stuffing mix for every 5lbs of turkey)

Orowheat or Mrs. Cubbison’s Seasoned Style Dressing Stuffing Mix

Sauté for each box stuffing mix:

1       cup chopped onions

1       cup chopped celery

½      cube margarine

1/8    tsp. sage    

¼      tsp. dried parsley flakes

Do not add any extra liquid. It will make stuffing to soggy.

Add sautéed mixture to stuffing mix in bowl. Stir well and press into a mound in bottom of buttered turkey roaster pan. Lay cooked, dried, prepared Gluten Turkey over the top and baste all pieces with Basting Mix. Cover & bake at 350 degrees for ~1-2 hours (depending on the size of your turkey. 2 hours would be for a huge 20-25 lb turkey), basting several times. Lower heat to 200 degrees and bake for several hours altogether. Baste at least a couple more times. Uncover for the last 15-30 minutes to brown.                             

Grandma’s Basting Mix for Gluten Turkey

Melt in small pan:

½ cup margarine or butter ( I use butter, but for a vegan turkey the margarine works too.) 

   Add:  

2       tsp. onion powder

         2       tsp. garlic powder

1       Tbsp. McKay’s Chicken seasoning

2       tsp. dried parsley flakes

With basting pastry brush, dip into melted mixture and spread all over Turkey body, including all loose pieces of wings and legs.

Cover with foil or another inverted turkey roasting pan and bake on highest possible oven rack at 350 for an hour or so. Lower heat to 200-300 and baste a couple more times or so while Turkey is roasting for several more hours or until it is thoroughly warmed through. Uncover and brown for the last 15-20 minutes approx. Make sure the bottom of turkey does not burn by heat being too high for too long.  Don’t over-brown either as it can dry out and be hard and too brittle. 

Cold Veggie Pizza

Cold Veggie Pizza  

        

 Unroll and press together on a cookie sheet:

1   tube refrigerated crescent rolls

Bake until light brown. Remove from oven.

Spread quickly with: (put small chunks all over hot crust, when melted it is easy to spread)

1   pkg. cream cheese

Top with choice of fresh vegetables, chopped small.

         Broccoli, Onions, Grated carrots

         Olives, Radishes, Green pepper,

         Mushrooms, Celery, Tomatoes.

Top all with:

         Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Bake until cheese just starts to melt.

Remove from oven. Cut into desired shapes like squares or rectangles.

When cool enough to handle, refrigerate until chilled. Serve cold.

Now I know that this is a cold pizza, but very often it is hard to wait until it has cooled and seems to start disappearing while it is still warm. It is good both ways and if you can manage to hide it from the family until it is cold it makes a refreshing appetizer or side dish.  

Pie Crust

         

                                                      Pie Crust

Aunt Faith’s Pie Crust

Mix together until just mixed:

One Crust -12”

         2    cups flour

         1    tsp. salt

         ½   cup oil

3    Tbsp. water

Two Crusts -12”

         4    cups flour

         2    tsp. salt

         1    cup oil

         6    Tbsp. water

 Roll out between two pieces of waxed paper. Place in pie plate and bake at 350 degrees until light, golden brown. 

 The secret to good pie crust is to not over mix it. Stir it with a fork just until it is mixed and then press it into a ball and roll it out. 

Apple Pie

  

Aunt Faith’s Apple Pie

Mix together in a saucepan or microwave safe glass dish:

6    cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced

1    cup sugar

½   tsp. salt

½   tsp. cinnamon

½   lemon rind

1    Tbsp. lemon juice

2    Tbsp. flour

2-3  pats of butter

Cook down in large saucepan or microwave stirring often until apples are on the soft side and the fluid is like runny gravy. Pour into unbaked pie crust and top with another. Poke holes or add cut out designs of your choice. 

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees a bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. 

Auntie Faith always made this apple pie for Thanksgiving and even though there was about 10-15 other desserts for our huge family Thanksgiving dinners I always went straight to Auntie's apple pie. She shared this recipe with me and even spent an afternoon showing me how to make it.  She was an amazing cook!

Challah Bread

Challah Bread  -  Sabbath Twist 

Place in mixing bowl and let stand 10 minutes:

4       tsp. active dry yeast

         1/3   cup sugar

         1       cup warm water (~110 degrees)

Add and mix well:

         6       Tbsp. butter, melted

1       Tbsp. salt

3       eggs

Add:

         3½ - 4½    cups flour

          

Place the dough on a well-floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a large, well-greased bowl, then flip the dough over to coat with oil. Cover with a towel and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, ~1 hour. Punch the dough down and divide dough into 4 equal pieces and roll 3 into ropes. Braid these into a loaf.  Divide last piece into 3 pieces and braid into smaller braid.  Place down the middle of loaf making a double braid. Place on greased cookie sheet (brush with beaten egg yolk, if desired) and let it rise until doubled. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake until golden brown.

"Garden Trout" - Eggplant

"Garden Trout" - Eggplant

Mix together an optional assortment of dry ingredients that can include the following and season as desired:

·      Flour – white or whole wheat

·      Pancake mix

·      Cornmeal

·      Matzo Meal

·      Panco

·      Nutritional yeast

·      McKay’s chicken seasoning

·      Garlic salt

·      Onion salt

·      Salt

·      Pepper

Prepare an egg dip using

·      Eggs or egg whites

·      Water, ~2 tsp. per egg

Prepare several Chinese Eggplants by cutting off their ends, peeling them and slicing them lengthwise. If they are very long cut them in half.

Dip the prepared pieces first in the egg dip and then in flour coating.

Place in a frying pan with plenty of hot oil. Fry until golden brown turning carefully several times with a fork or metal tongs. When golden brown remove from heat and place on plate lined with a paper towel.

My sister came up with this awesome dish. She brings in fresh Chinese eggplant from her garden and calls it "Garden Trout." It is really a fabulous way to prepare eggplant. When I was a kid I hated eggplant more than just about anything except okra. I still hate okra, but Garden Trout Eggplant is so yummy it is hard to stop eating it! 

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Aunt Faith’s Sour Cream Enchiladas

Mix together filling in a large bowl:

         1½   cups cottage cheese 

         1½   cups sour cream

         1      Pkg. Lipton dry onion soup mix

         1      cup finely chopped green onions

         7      oz.  can Ortega diced green chilies

         1      lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Soft-fry in oil 2 dozen corn tortillas (or brush with oil, stack and microwave 8 at a time for one minute). Fill with cheese filling and lay in two 9x13 pans.

Prepare enchilada sauce.

Mix together: 

         2       Pkg. Lawry Enchilada Sauce Mix

or use enchilada sauce of your choice

Pour sauce over rolled enchiladas and top with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for ~30 minutes.

Enchilada Sauce

Prepare 2 Pkg. Lawry Enchilada Sauce Mix or use

Texas Burrito Enchilada Sauce  

         

Texas Burrito Enchilada Sauce

Blend in blender:

1       can tomatoes (14.5 oz)

2       Tbsp. enchilada mix packet

2       Tbsp. flour

½      cup water

Heat in saucepan until thickened and bubbly.

Pour over burrito and Mexican rice.

Hotter Texas Burrito Enchilada Sauce

Blend in blender:

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 can tomato sauce (14.5 oz)

       ~ ½ pkg. Lawry Enchilada Sauce mix

          1/3 can water

          16 oz. Las Palmas enchilada sauce

          Salt to taste

Pour over burrito, Mexican rice or enchiladas.