Seitan steaks with nettle puree, roasted potatos and sautee vegetables

  One of the most pleasant memories of my childhood reffers to the time that I spent in a cottage family. In my my imaginary child's world countryside life was just magical.

  It gave me a special sense of freedom and it was around that time that I learned what growing a garden was like and how some food products were cultivated.

  I discovered how pleasant it was to pick blackberries and eat them right away, and I also discovered how terrible it was to touch nettles.

  But as things in our lives are not for ever, today I no longer consider nettles so unpleasant.   I still try to keep them away from the contact with my skin, but they have became part of the meals here at home. They are rich in vitamins from groups B, C, and K, carotene, iron and magnesium, amino acids, calcium salts, phosphates and proteins. They are excellent to help recovering in cases of anemia and circulatory problems. Their use in recipes is diverse: whether in green juices, teas, soups, among others.

  My suggestion for today is based on mashed nettles to go with a delicious seitan steak, roasted potatoes and sautee vegetables.

Ingredients:

(Serves 3)

For the seitan:

3 seitan steaks

a piece of fresh ginger root

2 garlic gloves

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp olive oil or sesame oil

salt to taste

For the nettles:

1 bunch of nettles

1 hand coriander leaves

1 garlic glove

1 tbsp olive oil

salt

For the potatoes:

Potatoes for 3

Herbs (rosemary, rosemary, thyme)

½ cup olive oil

salt

For the vegetables:

chard stalks of various colors

8 mushrooms

1 cup of peas

2 tbsp olive oil

Start by marinating the seitan steaks in a broth of water, soy sauce and lemon (at least for 20 minutes).

Wash the potatoes and cook them with the skin in abundant water, seasoned with salt until slightly tender.

Preheat oven to 220 º.

Wash the nettles. Remove the tales and use only the small leaves.

Place the cilantro in a pan with boiling water, seasoned it with salt and cook it until soft. Add the nettles and when the water starts to boil, leave them only for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and drain the water.

Reserve the broth that you can use for other dishes, soups or sauces.

Blend the nettles until you get a creamy puree. Reserve.

Meanwhile, steam the peas. Reserve.

Cut the stems of the chard and steam them lightly as you want them to remain firm (2 minutes maximum). Reserve.

Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth and cut them into slices.

Sauté the mushrooms in olive oil and then add the chard stalks and peas. If necessary, season it with salt.

Cut the potatoes into quarters or slices and place them on a baking tray. Sprinkle them with herbs and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 10 minutes, while preparing the  seitan steaks.

Grate the ginger and saute in the olive oil.

Add the chopped garlic and sauté.

Add the seitan steaks, cook on one side and on the other until lightly golden and add a little of the broth used for the marinate. The broth should cover the steaks.

Let them cook until the broth reduces and rectify the seasoning.

While the seitan steaks are cooking, place the olive oil that you reserved for the nettles in a pan, heat and add a whole garlic glove. Let it brown and add the nettle puree and the coriander leaves. Wrap well and rectify the seasoning. If necessary, add a few drops of lemon or a little corn starch, dissolved in a small amount of water, in case you want a thicker consistency.

The potatoes and the steaks should be ready ....

Put the ingredients in the dishes and enjoy the meal!

Bon appétit!

© veggie delicious food,  2013