Important news!

For one, I am back in Portland, albeit only for a few weeks. In the process of re-immersing myself in the vegan food culture (that is, acquainting myself with all these new food cart options), I have good news in that I have discovered a new vegan reuben to review, one which sounds quite unique and exciting. Just when I thought I'd exhausted the possibilities here in Stumptown! Look for that in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, you should know that the Radical Reuben at the Chicago Diner will soon be featured on TLC in an episode of Best Food Ever, a new food series narrated by John Goodman. The Radical Reuben has been praised up and down by various vegetarian and vegan outlets--about time the general public got a closer look, too. Don't miss it on Monday, May 24th--check your local listings for the air time.

Til later!

Corned Seitan Reuben

I modified this recipe:

1/2 cup pinto beans, mashed well
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar (didn't have any apple cider vinegar)
1 cup water combined with 2 teaspoons miso to create broth
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp molasses (optional)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten

Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls, then add the wet to the dry, mixing well with your hands.

I used my pressure cooker to cook the seitan. The cooker I purchased in India has a metal insert, essentially two small stacking pans that fit inside the cooker, used to cook dal and rice at the same time. I thought the steel cylinder would be a good stand-in for the foil wrapping called for in the original recipe.



I kneaded the seitan dough then shaped it into a rough ball and plopped it into the cooking container (the lower of the two sections). I added a bay leaf to the steaming water. Instead of steaming for 50 minutes as the original recipe calls for, I pressure cooked it for about 45 minutes.



The unusual, um, texture you see there is the fact that my home-cooked, fork-mashed beans were not quite as well mashed as they could have been.

After cooking the seitan had expanded some, but not a ton, but was nice and firm so I pulled it out and let it sit.

We made the standard dressing of 2 parts vegan mayo, 1 part ketchup (or if like us, you don't use ketchup often enough to have it in the house, use tomato sauce), 1 part mustard, 1 part capers or minced pickle and 1 part minced onion.

B. baked this rye bread from a recipe I found online -- we just happened to have all the ingredients. Pretty good for a first attempt at baking bread (though he's become an expert bagel-baker).



After letting the seitan sit for about 20 minutes, we toasted the bread (the loaves were small, per the recipe, so a sandwich was about the size of a half sandwich), warmed up the kraut on the stove, and assembled!



Over all, I thought the recipe was pretty solid, though not too much different from other steamed seitan recipes I've tried. I like that I now have a method of cooking seitan that doesn't involve using tin foil, and look forward to experimenting to see if I can get a denser, firmer 'meat' by cooking longer. B. thought the cloves were a bit strong, so I might leave those out in the future. I've made steamed seitan before, and can't believe this is the first time I've offered a recipe. It's no Chicago Diner, but not bad, and incredibly easy. We recommend the bread, too!

TRUEBEN: Tempeh Reuben on Rye at The Green Sage (Asheville, NC)

Sorry for the bad photo--the Green Sage had a nice atmosphere but was admittedly a bit dimly lit.

Here, however, is a beautiful photo that I found on Flickr.

Though ultimately the tempeh reuben at Green Sage was nothing revelatory, after various veganization fails, I was grateful to finally sit down to this hearty and comforting, though familiar, vegan reuben.

Though the Green Sage is clearly very vegan friendly (as well as environmentally friendly, like most places in Asheville, with composting and bike delivery), you do need to request the reuben vegan. (I'm labeling it a trueben nonetheless because the vegan option is clearly indicated on the menu and easy to order). There are four side options, all vegan: regular fries, sweet potato fries, soup (they have a vegan vegetable lentil) and salad. We went for the salad, which you can tell from the picture, was pretty generous.

Though the website claims they are open late, and that the kitchen is open til close, I would call if coming for dinner. Our first attempt to go failed because I called ahead and the staff informed me the kitchen was closing shortly, well before 9 pm.

As for the sandwich, it includes tempeh, sauerkraut, russian dressing and a modest amount of avocado on a light caraway rye. B. thought the tempeh had a slightly mushroomy flavor. I definitely detected a lot of soy sauce in the marinade. Over all the sandwich was pretty well-balanced. The tempeh didn't overwhelm, but I might have liked a little more kraut.

Over all this is a solid sandwich, and if in Portland, we'd probably give it a 3.5. There are more exciting options in Asheville, to be sure, but I appreciated the easy veganization (including a clearly marked menu) and hearty portions at Green Sage. At the price (8 bucks) it seemed like a good deal, and avocado was subbed for cheese without any fuss. Also a nice local beer, Pisgah Pale, is to be had on tap. The Green Sage seems like a good spot for various dietary inclinations--the vegan breakfast menu looks great and they also offer omni as well as gluten free options. In the heart of downtown Asheville, it's a convenient spot for visitors, especially those of us who like to eat healthy, local and organic, to grab a bite.

The Green Sage
5 Broadway Street
Asheville, NC

March Reuben Roundup

Okay, and yes, I can't help reporting that Ruben Studdard has gone vegan.

In Chicago, a new brewery offers a Tempeh Reuben with cheese, but vegan russian dressing and bread--begging to be veganized. Though some may argue that Chicago doesn't really need another vegan reuben, I am willing to bet that the offering of Cafe Samana, in Tulsa, OK, is probably welcomed by local vegetarians and vegans. Meanwhile, The Urban Housewife chimes in on some L.A. reuben finds. And if you are ever driving from Providence to New York, check this place out. The Cornell Daily Sun reports on a tasty-sounding spicy tempeh reuben at the Giving Tree Cafe. Those in Ohio should seek out the Mustard Seed Cafe, according to this blogger. Upscale vegan dining in West Virginia's oldest town at the Stone Soup Bistro, tempeh TRUEBEN included.

Earlier I blogged about new Berkeley addition, Nature's Express. Check out this review.

And on to the recipes!

For a change of pace, and in honor of St. Patty's Day, here's a fresh kraut recipe, recommended for vegan reubens.



Here's another recipe I haven't posted yet--a seitan reuben.



Not that you need more instruction, but here's another vegan tempeh reuben, this one poached and fried. And here's another creative tempeh reuben recipe that bears mentioning. Though I often prize my IPA too much to cook with it, this seems like a tasty approach to a tempeh reuben marinade.

This one looks good, too.



After all that, I for one intend to test this recipe for corned beef seitan myself!

The Crunch and Munch at the Green Republic, Key West, FL

We entered this spare, hip, eco and veg-friendly sandwich, salad and smoothie shop in Key West because we'd heard it was one of the top three destinations on the island for vegan food. When I saw that the sandwich called the Crunch and Munch was essentially a reuben -- with vegan "corned beef," sauerkraut, cheese and mustard subjected to a panini press -- I knew I had to try it, despite the fact it was $5.95 with a $1.50 bump to make it vegan.



I have to admit, I was a little disappointed, and not so much about the price of this slender sandwich (you can make it a double-decker for a total of $8.95, before veganization), but the lack of imagination. The bread, a light caraway rye, was warm and crispy, but the insides were still a bit cold. B. agreed it would have been better cooked more. I was surprised that it contained such a small quantity of vegan meat and cheese, with a modest application of kraut and mustard. Over all, I would say it was a good sandwich, but not great, and there are probably better options on the menu, which was extensive and creative. Truthfully, we had a vegan Cuban (Fidelito) first, and perhaps the Crunch and Munch simply paled in comparison to that flavor combination.



Isn't a Cuban sandwich -- with ham, swiss cheese and pickle -- basically a Latin Reuben anyway?

Green Republic
521 Fleming
Key West, FL

February Reuben Round-Up

"Healthy vegan fast food"? Apparently Nature's Express, founded by an oncologist in Yuma, Arizona, is expanding across the U.S., including a location recently opened on my hometown drag of Solano Ave in Berkeley, CA. Existing locations in Rancho Mirage and Yuma boast reubens on the menu, so something worth keeping an eye on.

This veggie mom brings us a Vegan Reuben Salad recipe--yes, I think it's worth scrolling down to the bottom past all the pics of her rugrats. (She understands the importance of a pickle on the side).

We have more to come on L.A.'s vegan reuben wars, but apparently folks go crazy for them in NYC, too--or one in particular. The news that Park Slope eatery Organic Heights is re-opening as Sun in Bloom had writers at SuperVegan fretting about the fate of their well-loved tempeh reuben.

Speaking of tempeh reubens, here's another recipe for you to try.



Here's another recipe, unlike anything I've seen before (involving TVP and an everything bagel!)

Even though Quarry Girl has moved on from the reuben reviews after declaring Locali a clear favorite (and various Yelp users agree), others are still discovering new L.A. vegan joint, Elderberries.

A blogger in Dallas gives us a recipe for a portobello mushroom reuben, a unique turn I appreciate and would like to try, but B. is not a big fan of the mushroom cap as meat replacement. I appreciate the recipe, but not the fact that I am apparently "some guy in Portland" (female, thanks) and...how could anyone find the idea of a tempeh reuben disgusting? I mean, tempeh wrote the M.F.-ing book on vegan reubens! Maybe he should try this recipe--yes, another tempeh reuben recipe, but can you ever get enough?

Well, I guess portobello reubens aren't as unique as I thought, because here's a recipe for another one. I'll just assume that because the authors claim to be vegan, they mean fake when they reference Swiss cheese. Sundried tomatoes sound like a nice addition, too!

Okay, forget portobellos, did you know there's a recipe that doesn't just put avocado on a reuben, but is pretty much just avocado? A little rich for my blood, but probably tasty.

If you are poking around the DC-area, here is a PPK forum post on vegan options in Falls Church, VA, including Mike's Deli, which serves...you guessed it.

If you are looking for other restaurant options in the South, The Wild Cow has a much-praised vegan or vegetarian reuben. My favorite thing about the website though, is the section, "What's tofu?"

And apparently other restaurants are trying their own take on the Field Roast reuben--like The Swan Dive in Louisville, Kentucky, reviewed in this local rag. With the microbrews on tap and the vegan options, almost sounds like it should be in Portland. But the news keeps coming from Kentucky. Apparently, this new joint, Veg-O-Rama, also has a reuben to offer.

Last but not least, for you Oregon residents, our new favorite, Viva Vegetarian Grill in Eugene, has a Facebook page, so go become a fan!

Recipe: Baked Tofu Reuben

After B.'s mother served us a delicious dinner that involved baked tofu with braised peppers and tomatoes, B. discovered a new appreciation for the soy food and requested we make another attempt at tofu reubens. I combined our tested and true approach of the marinate and bake method with this reuben recipe by Vegan Dad. Basically, instead of pan-frying and simmering tofu, I sliced it ultra-thin and used a slightly altered version of Vegan Dad's "corned tofu" seasoning mixture as a marinade. I also added apple juice to the marinade since we've had such luck with it in the past.

Slice a block of firm tofu (about a fourth of a block of tofu per person) thinly, into rectangles about a quarter inch thick. The orientation and size doesn't matter too much. If desired, press tofu with a heavy weight while you make the marinade.

Marinade:

1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
1 1/4 cup water
4 tsp seasoned salt
4 tsp paprika
4 whole cloves
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp garlic powder

Bring to a boil on the stove-top and then cover and turn off. Meanwhile, make the dressing: equal parts minced pickle, vegan mayo, ketchup and mustard (we did about a quarter cup each, not worrying about having extra). Chill spread until ready to eat.

Arrange the tofu slices in a single layer in a Pyrex baking dish. Pour the warm marinade over the tofu and set aside to marinate (refrigerating is probably not necessary--we didn't have room so we stuck it in the wintry-cold garage), for at least 3 hours.



Bake tofu for 45 at 375 (this was an experiment, all our marinade had evaporated after 45 minutes---I would have done it longer). About 15 minutes before serving, slice and caramelize half an onion. Add sauerkraut to the pan and warm through. Prepare the bread by sprinkling about two tablespoons of Italian Blend Daiya cheese on one piece of bread per sandwich, and toast in a toaster oven on medium. Toast other half of bread and spread with dressing. Layer tofu, sauerkraut and onion on top of cheesy bread, add the other piece of bread and grill briefly. Slice in half and serve with a petite dill pickle.



As a change of pace, we used Alvarado Street Bakery sprouted rye (a nice, healthy vegan option found in most grocery stores these days), and some standard jarred kraut. Mostly this was an excuse to try out Daiya cheese--I had heard varying things about it, but one theme was that it's better the more melted it is, hence the open-face toasting to get it good and melty.



As for the review, the sandwich was good, one of the better tofu reubens I've had, though the tofu could have marinated and baked longer. We should have increased the marinade. It's always better to have too much rather than too little. As it was, after 45 minutes the marinade had evaporated. While the tofu had a lot of flavor (and actually, I thought was a little too salty), we would have liked it even chewier and more saturated. We were also a little overly hesitant with the Daiya--I could taste the light layer of shredded cheese but not quite enough to really evaluate its contribution. We'll probably try this recipe again. B.'s parents, open-minded omnivores, claimed to enjoy it.




***

We used up the Daiya cheese for pizza night, but wanted to give the tofu another try, especially since we had extra Reuben sauce. We used about 1/3 of a cube of tofu (previously frozen) and the following marinade (basically just increasing the water and apple juice concentrate):

Marinade:

1 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
2 cups water
4 tsp seasoned salt
4 tsp paprika
4 whole cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp dried mustard
1 pressed garlic clove

Like before, I brought the marinade to a boil and then let it sit for about 5 minutes before pouring it over the tofu, which I had sliced thinly and arranged in a single layer on a Pyrex baking dish. I did this all at about 5 pm the night before we planned to eat the reubens for lunch, letting the tofu marinate for about 19 hours. I only baked it for about an hour at 350. B. was really interested in getting a chewy texture on the tofu, so we finished it off by pan-frying it in some olive oil right before we put the sandwiches together. The steps were:

1. Remove tofu from oven
2. Caramelize onion (about a third of an onion for two people) and set aside
3. Pan fry tofu slices in olive oil until browned
4. Deglaze pan with some sauerkraut juice; add desired amount of sauerkraut to pan with onions and warm through
5. Meanwhile, toast bread and spread with Reuben sauce
6. Construct sandwiches and enjoy!

This worked out pretty well. The tofu and kraut-onion mixture were warm enough to give the sandwich a good temp despite the fact that the toasted bread had time to cool down. B. liked the approach of marinating and baking and then pan-frying, and thought that slicing the tofu a bit thicker would give it a good variation of textures--chewy on the outside, soft on the inside. The tofu was chewier and more flavorful than the first attempt, due to a very long marinating period and extra apple juice. I also think the fact that the tofu had been frozen and then thawed before marinating made it a bit chewier as well. Over all, a pretty good sandwich.