Vegan Mock 'Ham' Come Streaky Bacun 'Bacon'

I am gobsmacked to see so many social media lovies who have converted to veganism in the last five years or less get vegan cookbooks published and then act as if they are culinary geniuses, fooling people that they are the innovators and creators of recipes such as aquafaba meringues, tofu scrambled eggs, seitan mock mheat (bacon, beef roast, chicken) made with vital wheat gluten, carrot as 'smoked salmon', King Oyster Mushrooms 'Scallops and Pulled 'Pork' as Jackfruit.

It may be true that they are bringing beautifully photographed and presented vegan food substitutes to the attention of the those who do not necessarily cook from printed vegan or vegetarian cookbooks or food blogs and their main source of inspiration seems to be social media and Instagram. I applaud that, but to pretend that these innovative vegan recipes are their own invention by a simple adaptation or a little tweak does not bode well with me.  They do not get my praise or admiration.

One recent example of this is the vegan 'bacun'.  The last decade saw an eruption of innovative interpretations of vegan 'bacon' recipes being made with beans and grains, tofu, tempeh, coconut flakes, but the first time I ever saw a near perfect imitation for seitan 'bacon' was by The Gentle Chef - Skye Michael Conray.  

Chef Conroy's seitan based vegan 'bacun' was one of the most raved about recipes by former meat loving people.  I made his original seitan bacun recipe about three years ago.  I loved it and ordered some of his cookbooks for Christmas a few years back, since then Skye Michael Conray has has also published: Non Dairy Evolution Cookbook;  Vegan Eggz Cookbook; and The Gentle Sea Cookbook.  His influence is definitely found in the UK, but I have not once seen or read anything from these new vegan cookbook writers and food bloggers acknowledge him or any other vegan or vegetarian chef. It appears that because someone has made a minor adjustment or change to an original recipe, some new vegan food writers and food bloggers think they can fully claim credit for the recipe.  I quickly click through these PR blogs and flick through the pages of these flashy cookbooks and there is never ever any acknowledgement of inspiration source or credit to an original recipe in the bibliography, as once was found in published cookbooks. Its seems people are so desperate for recognition, awards, accolades and self-promotion that they will mislead their readers.  It seems discourteous to me and wrong, but it appears to me that this form of recipe plagiarism has become socially acceptable.  Soon they will be claiming credit for the watermelon 'ham'! 

So unlike those individuals, I put my hand up and say this recipe for vegan Seitan 'Ham' Come Streaky Bacun 'Bacon' does not come from me, it comes from the Gentle Chef.

Is it not magnificent?! 

Score this with a knife, then glaze with some apricot and treat it like vegan Seitan Ham!

As I said before, I have made the recipe a few times since discovering it as well as the recent availability of vital wheat gluten in the UK, which let me tell you was hard up until four years ago.  I have tweaked the recipe a little as I found it a little dry and chewy, but not so much to pretend and claim it as my own vegan mock 'ham' come streaky bacon 'bacon' recipe.  

To the original recipe, I add a tin of cooked chickpeas or white beans.  I divide the tin between the dough mixes.  This makes for a more softer and pliable slice.  

I also steam the seitan, rather than bake it.  As you can see from the photograph below (made a few years back), the oven baked version is dark, whereas the one above is not.  I have also noticed a difference in how long it is good for.  With the chickpeas its good for a week in the fridge; and without the chickpeas its good for ten days.  The recipes makes a huge amount, hence the reason I am holding it (above in one of the photographs) to demonstrate scale of size.  So if you do decide to make the recipe from the Gentle Chef, then please do share it or freeze it, just don't waste it!

Oven Baked Seitan Bacun 'Bacon'

By the way, one of the most popular recipes on my blog from 2011 (see sidebar) is also made with vital wheat gluten for vegan seitan chorizo, but again - the recipe is not mine.  It comes Viva Vegan and at the time Terry Hope Romero was gracious to grant me permission to share the recipe on my blog.  I have always been courteous and acknowledge source or inspiration of my recipes and will continue to do so. I ain't no fake!

Vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak

Yes this is a vegetarian food blog and what I share below may look freakishly like 'meat', but I assure you these are homemade seitan slices peaking out of this Philly Cheese 'Steak' or cheesesteak. 

I was looking for ways to use up my rather large batch of homemade seitan and it was whilst flicking  Mama Cherry's Soul Food in a Bowl that I stumbled upon a meat version.  I of course decided to adapt it.  I am not that familiar with Philly Cheese Steak.  Momma Cherry writes 'Cheese steaks were invented in the 1930s at Pat's Steaks in South Philadelphia fondly known as Philly.  It should have American Cheese, Provolone or Cheez Whizz (a yellow processed cheese squeezed from the bottle) on it'.  However she recommends that a grated mild English Cheddar works well, so that is what I used here, though I did later stumble across a vegan recipe for cheez wiz - this recipe can easily be made vegan.

Momma Cherry slices steak as thinly as possible to ensure it remains tender.  I of course used thinly sliced seitan to be quickly sauteed it in hot oil, but before that before that I sautéed some thinly sliced onion and green pepper to caramelise, then added the slices of seitan to it before finishing it off with a little seasoning.

The hot dog style bread rolls were sliced.  D recommended putting the cheese at the bottom as the warm seitan, onions and green pepper would add warmth and melt the cheese beneath it (it didn't by the way). I generously piled in the filling and then for a final touch squeezed over French classic yellow mustard sauce. Straight into your mouth for a bit bite - well that part is not true, as we had to take pictures!

I am sharing these vegetarian Philly Cheese 'Steak' with Soup, Salad and Sammies Sundays hosted by Deb over at Kahakai Kitchen. 

Seitan's Cake

Yes, this is a play on 'Satan' - Seitan's cake and with Halloween not that far away, I do like to make freaky food around this time of year to amuse myself, if no one else.  I admit its strange as I don't participate by dressing up and attending Halloween fancy dress parties.  The closest I get to it is when the children in the street dress up and knock on the door to 'trick and treat' - yes, its become a big thing in this part of the Welsh valleys. 

Let me tell you a story from my childhood.  At primary school one of the teachers told us a story about this Welsh lady in traditional Welsh costume wearing a paisley shawl.  I don't remember very much about the story, but what stuck with me was that if you looked closely at her Paisley patterned shawl, you could see the devil's face. 

I've always been fascinated in that kind of stuff, which may explain my liking of supernatural and psychological films and dramas like Hinterland.  The first series of Hinterland also references the painting of the Welsh lady in the shawl attending a small Baptist chapel, near Harlech, North Wales. It was in my adult life that I learned that the painting was called Salem (1908) by Sydney Curnow Vosper; and that he denied deliberately painting the devil in the shawl, but he did admit to painting another ghostly figure in the painting, which I never noticed.  Look at the window!  Please follow this link if you want to take look at the painting that I write about - the window and the shawl. If you can't quite make out the devil in the shawl, then follow this link by Wales On-line that illustrates horns, eyes and mouth. It still gives me the chills. 

Back to my seitan - 'satan' cake .  I've been experimenting with vital wheat gluten a lot lately. I think this is the best one so far that I have made, that is versatile in so many recipes. 

Spicy Tomato Pasta Bake with Vegan Chorizo

I have mentioned before that one of the most popular recipes on my blog is the vegan Chorizo sausages made with vital wheat gluten thanks to Terry Hope Romero.  

Since vital wheat gluten is a lot more accessible now and stocked by many health food stores across the UK,including most cities in Wales.  I have been making it every year, but this is not to say that we indulge in faux meat all the time or that our meals have to be 'seitan faux 'meat' and two veg', its is actually not as I still find the texture of faux meat, especially seitan 'meat' unusual.  

For a veggie Sunday Roast, I would still always favour a nutroast in place of a 'Seitan' Roast with Stuffing.  However, saying all that I do like to experiment and those of you who know me now through blogging, will know that I do enjoy experimenting in the kitchen with new ingredients, but always with fruit and vegetables.  After all, I am sure if you do your research, my humble blog would have been the first in the UK  showing the versatility of fruit and vegetables, for example putting vegetables, other than carrots, parsnips and pumpkins into desserts, but lets ignore that.    

Vegetarian Chorizo Potato Hand Pies

One of the most popular recipes on my blog is the vegan Chorizo sausages made with vital wheat gluten.  Since vital wheat gluten is a lot more accessible now and stocked by many health food stores across the UK, I have been making it every year, but this is not to say that we indulge in faux meat all the time, we actually don't, as I still find the texture of faux meat unusual.  However, saying all that I do like to experiment and those of you who know me now through blogging, will know that I do enjoy experimenting in the kitchen with new ingredients, but always with fruit and vegetables

The recipes makes six vegan chorizo sausages and we often consume them all before the week is over incorporated into different meals.

Here is the first, vegetarian Chorizo Hand Pies as it has feta cheese in it.  My vegan readers can of course substitute the salty feta cheese with an alternative.  I have served it here with some green salad and grated beetroot.

Seitan Roast with Stuffing

Here is my first ever attempt at Seitan Roast with Stuffing.   

A celebratory Seitan Roast with Stuffing to be served with all the vegetables you find at Sunday Roast Dinner. 

Talking of celebrations, let me wish all my readers A Happy New Year - 2018.  

Pomegranate Molasses Bulgar, Chickpeas, Red Chard and Seitan 'Meat'

I have not spent much time in the kitchen recently, as I want to rest at the weekends and be proper lazy.  So I share this Pomegranate Molasses Bulgar, Chickpeas, Red Chard and Vegan 'Lamb' aka Seitan that I made from scratch a few weeks ago, when I had energy and inclination to both potter and experiment in the kitchen. 

The pomegranate molasses gave that sweet twang. chickpea always give nuttiness, but so did the Bulgar.  Its nice warm, but its also good at room temperature as a salad, but do keep the mock lamb sitting on top, so not to go too soggy from the red chard, which by the way from the garden plot.

The seitan mock lamb was surprisingly succulent and so much superior than those from the supermarket.  In fact I wish I had made this seitan mock meat for my vegan Plum and Lamb Curry.

I am sharing this Pomegranate Molasses Bulgar, Chickpeas, Red Chard and Vegan Seitan 'Lamb' Salad with Soups, Salads and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen; and My Legume Love Affair #114  hosted by The Veg Hog.  The challenge was initiated by  Susan and hosted by Lisa's Kitchen.  

Other Bulgar Wheat Recipes
Bulgar Borlotti Burgers
Middle Eastern Sweet Potato Kibbeh
My Tabbouleh
Beetroot Bulgar
Spiced Vegetable Stew

Jackfruit Seitan 'Steaks'

Wonderful regular and loyal readers please do not be concerned I have not become 'a meat and two veg' person overnight. This 'Steak' may not look it, but it is 100% vegan it is made with vital wheat gluten (seitan) and jackfruit.

I have been wanting to make Seitan Steaks again for a while and as much as I enjoyed them in the past I found the texture too firm, as well as a little dry.  Then I remembered a while back seeing a few recipes that incorporated jackfruit and seitan together.  I thought this made sense in relation to adding stringy texture to the seitan, but wondered if it also added moisture and decided to have a go at making them.

The finished result was amazing to look at.  I have never in my life eaten a meat steak, but this visually mimicked the real stuff, it was kind of freaky.   Then I tasted it.  It tasted amazing, not at all dry.  In fact it was very moist and the addition of the BBQ sauce on top was not necessary, but it added another level of flavour.  I have to confess, it was way too big for my belly and I could only eat a half, so I have suggested dividing the sietan jackfruit mixture into 6 pieces, than just 4 - but this is up to you. 

I served the Jackfruit Seitan Steaks with Roasted Sweetheart Cabbage and Sweet Potato Wedges. But on another day we had it with oven chips and mushy minted peas. Both times we really enjoyed both the flavour and moist texture of the Jackfruit Seitan 'steaks'.  

I am sharing this big plate of food with Jackfruit Seitan 'Steaks' with Healthy Vegan Fridays by Rock My Vegan Socks and V Nutrition.

Welsh Laverbread Seitan Faggots (vegan) with Onion Gravy

I've featured vegan Welsh Faggots on my blog in the past, but have always wanted to enhance them textually and visually.  I was able to do this a few days ago for our homely St Davids Day Welsh Vegan Menu with the addition of another Welsh delicacy Laverbread.  

For those of you not  from Wales and not familiar with Welsh faggots, well in a nutshell Faggots were traditionally made with the innards of pigs. The pate like mixture was then wrapped in the lacy casing of the animals caul and oven roasted slowly.  

I remember reading a while back, that the Welsh faggots is what haggis is to the Scots and is often referred to as Welsh Haggis in some parts of Wales.  There may be some truth in this as The Scotsman also make reference to haggis being popular in the Welsh Valleys of Wales, but they still credit the Scots for the haggis jokingly writing that a Scottish haggis escaping to Wales in 1690, hence its popularity in Wales. 

Faggots are still made in Wales and are still quite popular.  Faggots are traditionally served with mushy peas and onion gravy or brown meaty gravy.  My Welsh Laverbread Seitan Faggots are of course is suitable for vegetarians and for vegans and so is the onion gravy. 

D absolutely loved the onion gravy.  He didn't mind the Welsh Laverbread Seitan Faggots either.

Welsh Bara Lawr Laverbread Seitan Sausage (vegan)

Wales is still not popular for its vegetarian cuisine, its often seen as the land of Welsh lamb, cockles and mussels, faggots - a Welsh meatball made from offal and meat off-cuts.  But what many people do not know is St David, the Patron Saint of Wales was a vegetarian.  I speculate, but its possible that St David may actually have even been a vegan as he only ate bread, vegetables, herbs and only drank water.  

The green green lush land of Wales has also given us leeks and laverbread. Laverbread or 'bara lawr' as it is known in these part of the Welsh valleys.  Laverbread is not actually a bread, its a seaweed, that is cooked down to a jet green paste famously described by the acclaimed Welsh actor Richard Burton as 'Welshman's caviar'.  Laverbread is often enjoyed with shellfish, buttered toast or as Laverbread Cakes.   The best laverbread comes from Selwyn's who are based on the beautiful shores of the Gower Peninsula. 

So today for St David's Day celebrations, I present to you an alternative Welsh vegetarian recipe that makes an interesting  change from the traditional Selsig Morgannwg - Glamorgan sausages and Welsh Rarebit - homely cheese on toast.  This recipe is made with both Welsh leeks and laverbread and also happens to be vegan.  Behold the Welsh Bara Lawr Seitan Sausage that I have created especially for the 1st March, celebrating the Patron Saint of Wales and all things Welsh. 

For those of you who are neither vegetarian or vegan, may find these vegan Welsh Bara Lawr Seitan Sausage a little difficult to process visually, but they make for a good mock meat substitute for those who do not wish to consume meat.  These Welsh Bara Lawr Seitan Sausage do not replicate the taste of meat in any way, just mimic it.  

I was inspired to create these vegan Welsh sausage with laverbread for two reasons.  One I had read somewhere in the past that someone somewhere in Wales had created a meat version of laverbread sausage; and two, I had recently had a vegan sausages made with Irish Dulse Seaweed  and that's was me on the path to making a vegan alternative of Welsh Bara Lawr with Seitan.   

We have sliced and pan fried them and enjoyed them with mashed potatoes, two veg and gravy, but you can also cook them whole.  The flavourings in these  Welsh Bara Lawr Seitan Sausage is based on my vegan Welsh Faggots (Ffagod) recipe.  I think the recipe still needs a little tweaking, but I am happy to share it with you today.

Dydd Gwŷl Dewi Hapus

Vegan Kimchi Seitan Sausages

I've been playing around with seitan sausages since 2010 when I was given some vital wheat gluten by a fellow blogger, fast forward 5 years later I have been able to get hold of it mostly from independent health stores.

I am still not overly enamoured by the faux meatiness, sometimes I find the texture a little disturbing, but D does not mind it at all.  His favourites seitan faux 'meats' are the vegan Pepperoni and the ever popular Chorizo, but I do like to try and make other variations.  

Last Christmas, D my husband gave me a copy of Vegan Finger Food.  Recently I have been sitting with it most evenings trying to get inspired for Christmas and have a few recipes bookmarked to try.  However the one that leaped out to me to make first was the Kimchi Stuffed Sausages.  I have a jar of homemade vegan kimchi in the fridge and I have been looking for creative ways to make the most of it and this recipe inspiration was most welcomed.  

However, I did adapt and tweak the recipe. I have a high tolerance of spicy food I added generous amounts of gochujang and gochugaru to the mixture.  I also did not stuff the sausages, instead I incorporated the kimchi into the seitan mixture.  The sausages were a lot softer than those I made in the past which are often made in the oven, whereas these were steamed. These were also a little sweet and spicy.  We had them mostly as an accompaniment to meals, I simply sliced them and sauteed them in a little olive oil.  One of the dishes we had was Cream Cheese Kimchi Bagels.  

Mini Pumpkins Stuffed with vegan Chorizo and Chickpeas

These little cute pumpkins may be perfect to adorn any kitchen table or mantle piece, but come to slice them and they are quite resistant little things.  These mini pumpkins known as munchkin pumpkins were very hard to slice, but I persevered and then scooped out the seeds for the garden birds.

The hollowed out mini pumpkins serve as fantastic bowls that you can take straight to the table, no washing up to do either, something that my husband appreciates as he does most of the dishes in our home.

You can stuff mini pumpkins with all manner of things, such as the vegan Spanish style chorizo, chickpeas and kale that I made.  It was very nice too.  One of my favourite long term food blogger extraordinaire and Queen and inspirational kick starter behind UKs  Underground Supper Club scene Ms Marmite Lover aka Kerstin Rodgers has some wonderful suggestion on How to use squash and pumpkins.

Vegan Mofo prompt is Autumn Fall Traditions.  I tend to make the most of small pumpkins in season, this blog post  is also inspired by Thanksgiving.  

vegan Halloween Orange Lentil Pasta with Red Devil Pumpkin Sauce

This vegan Halloween Orange Lentil Pasta with Red Devil Pumpkin Sauce was made a few days ago, when surprisingly I had some energy in me when I got home from work to cook.

I had baked the fresh pumpkin in the oven the evening before, so all I had to do was scoop out the slushy orangy pulp for the Red Devil Pumpkin Sauce; and cook a packet of Profusion Red lentil Fussili pasta that's been in my kitchen cupboards for a few months.  Every time I laid eyes on it, I knew it was destined for a Halloween Pasta Bake.

I served the Orange Lentil Pasta smothered in Red Devil Pumpkin Sauce and served it with homemade vegan Chorizo sausages which are laid out here coming out of the ceramic pumpkins mouth like puke, but that is optional.  

Even though presented it looks quite impressive for a Halloween dinner table, I have to admit, I was not overly keen on it.  Perhaps it was the powdery nature of the pasta that also lost its vibrant orange colour upon cooking;  or perhaps the pumpkin sauce itself which lacked body - I probably needed a better pumpkin that had more depth and flavour.  I may have sadly picked one up grown mostly for carving than for eating...oh well. 

Nonetheless, I think children will like this nonetheless, even moreso if you throw a handful of grated cheese over it, but that is up to you.   Oh and if your kids are not  up for chilli flakes and or chilli sauce, you can make this child friendly simply by omitting the chilli flakes all together from the Red Devil Pumpkin Sauce. 

The red lentil fusilli pasta from Pro fusion is gluten free, but the vegan chorizo sausages are not as they are made with vital wheat gluten.   

Other Halloween Recipes to inspire you. 
Those that are vegan are marked with a v, otherwise everything is suitable for vegetarians.  
Bloody Massacred Beetroot Men Pies  v
Black Sesame Seed Butter v
Creepy Black Olive spiders Gratin v
Pumpkins are not Just for Halloween Chilli v
Beetroot Gratin
Beetroot Cauliflower 'Brain' Salad with Feta Cheese
Halloween Inspiration
Halloween Recipes, Cakes and Snacks from Green Gourmet Giraffe
Franken Sushi by Green Gourmet Giraffe v
Red GHOULash v
Blood Beetroot and Raspberry Jelly v 
Vampire Beetroot Scotch Eggs 
Zombie Pies v
20 Spooky & Fun Vegan Halloween Recipes compiled by V Nutrition

Easy Patatas Bravas with vegan Chorizo, Red Pepper and Peas

I am going to tell you something about myself whether you want to know it or not.  I don't like new potatoes that much.  I find them a bit dull, unless dressed up in a potato salad or cooked this this, pan-fried or roasted in the oven.  

I made this Spanish style dish of Patatas Bravas last week after coming back from Hay on Wye

Street Vegan: Maple Mustard Glazed Seitan Strips

I have been oggling Adam Sobel's Maple Mustard Glazed Seitan Strips for a few good months now.  The awesome recipe can be found in his cookbook Street Vegan.  Every time I have gone to make these vital wheat gluten seitan breakfast strips, I have noted ingredients missing from my kitchen, first it was mustard, then tofu and then celery!

Well this weekend, I was determined to make them and ensured I had every thing I needed to create them in my kitchen.  I do like to dabble with recipes, but sometimes I have to respect the recipe author and follow the recipe word for word and I pretty much did here.  By the way this is the second recipe from the book, I made Adam's French Lentil Soup a little while back. 

From the photograph, the Seitan strips appear too dark, but these are a little naughty as these have been shallow fried before being coated in sweet grainy mustard glaze.  There is also a hint bitterness from the molasses.  I liked how the mustard seeds popped in my mouth, but I didn't like them sticking between my teeth. There is also plenty of bite, chew and texture - its like eating meat but without eating meat, if that makes sense - it will to vegetarians and vegans. 

Seitan 'Meat' Slices

So its Friday the 13th and I thought I would show food considered to be a little freaky by non-vegan and non-vegetarian - Seitan pronounced Satan.

I've been ravenous recently, wanting to get my gnashers into something of substance and rip and tear it.  Perhaps its the change of weather; or maybe i am just watching way too much of The Walking Dead series.  We started watching the series on DVD Halloween weekend and are now on series 4, so no spoilers please!  

Over the weekend, I made this mock 'meatloaf' with vital wheat gluten.  I was a little heavy handed with the fennel seeds.  We have had it various ways over the week including today, but the most enjoyable was when a slab of it was seared on both sides and served with horseradish mash, greens and home-made brown gravy.  The rest has been good for cold sandwich fillings, Yes we Brits do like our sandwiches.  The seitan slices were quite succulent and not at all dry like much of the packaged stuff.  

Now how to present something not overly attractive, but here it is - some carefully carved slices ready to be chomped, sorry already chomped. 

Vegan Smoky Spicy 'Pastrami' with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Puy Lentil Salad

This was dinner a few days back - Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Puy Lentils, Carrots and Baby Courgettes with homemade vegan Smoky Spicy Pastrami.  

This smoky spicy vegan 'Pastrami' is based on my friends Krys recipe that I showcased earlier this month, but this time round I decided to adapt it a little and enhance it by upping the spices.  It was a lot more succulent too, perhaps because I timed the cooking better. 

Its been a long while since I've had puy lentils. I enjoyed every mouthful and look forward to making it again.  It made for a lovely light meal, perhaps next time round I will stir it in with some Bulgar wheat and take it into work for lunch.

Nom, nom nom.