"Lamb-Style" Seitan Roast with Fresh Rosemary & Mint Rub

This is my favourite recipe I've created so far! Not only is it an impressive centrepiece, it's really easy to make it a one-pan meal.

Simply use a large deep-sided oven dish, add small chunks of potato & carrot, a red onion quartered, 4 garlic cloves, and a lemon cut in half, around the sides of your seitan when you first put it in the oven. They will cook beautifully in the broth.

If you haven't yet tried seitan, don't be put off! It's an excellent and sustainable plant protein, can be infused with so many flavours and made into so many meaty-style dishes, from roasts to burgers to chorizo style sausages, and is way more affordable than its ready-made counterparts. The magic ingredient is vital wheat gluten, which is a flour you can find easily online.

Serves 4-6

Wet mix:
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup tomato puree

Dry mix:
2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
3/4 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp onion granules
2 tbsp garlic granules
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp salt

For the rub:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
Zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp miso
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
Big handful of fresh mint
Salt & pepper
More fresh rosemary to garnish, if you like

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 C fan

Mix together wet ingredients in a large measuring jug

Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl

Add half of the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well

Knead by hand for a few minutes to achieve a nice elastic springy texture

Place in a greased oven dish, shape into an oblong with your hands, (add the veggies around the edge, if using) and pour over the remaining wet mixture

Roast in the oven for 50 mins, carefully turning it once half-way through

While your seitan cooks, make the rub by finely chopping the fresh herbs and mixing well with the remaining ingredients

Slather your seitan with the rub, add sprigs of fresh rosemary to the dish if you like, and return to the oven for 10 mins

Serve as a one-pot roast, using the reduced down liquid in the oven dish as a delicious jus, or with creamy mash and seasonal veg

Enjoy