Recipe: Claire's Corner Copia Seitan Osso Buco-Style with Gnocchi

SEITAN OSSO BUCO-STYLE

"Seitan or 'wheat meat' is a meat alternative with the texture of beef, and can be cooked in any dish that normally calls for beef, veal, or chicken. Seitan is made from wheat gluten, and is high in protein and fat-free. You can buy it in small packets in the refrigerater section of health food stores."

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons soybean margarine (found in health food stores) or canola oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet onion, minced
1 medium carrot, peeled and minced
2 ribs celery with leaves, minced
1 (12 ounce) seitan, drained, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped, including juices
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper
1 cup red wine
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried thyme
5 fresh basil leaves, cut in half
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 pound potato gnocchi (found in the freezer section of Italian markets and many supermarkets)

Heat the olive oil and margarine in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have released some of their juices.

Add the seitan, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, the red wine, bay leaf, thyme, basil, lemon zest, and parsley. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened enough to look like a sauce. Taste for seasonings. Remove the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and turn into a serving bowl. Spoon the seitan and the sauce over the gnocchi.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Claire's Classic American Vegetarian Cooking by Claire Criscuolo