Chikin Cacciatore
An orifinal recipe by Alaine Chang
(Orzo accompanies the Chikin Cacciatore in the recipe’s photo)
My Grandmother was a fantastic cook. She loved clipping interesting recipes out of the newspaper’s food section and then making them her own. It was in the late 1970’s that a recipe for “Chicken Cacciatore” caught her eye. As it made quite a lot, she invited my husband & me over to try it. Back then I was an omnivore. Still, the great flavor combination of the garlic, tomatoes, onion and peppers served on a bed of hot seaming rice, was such a hit, that it became a family favorite. When I became vegetarian, it was one of the dishes I really missed. It took me twelve years to come up with a really good vegan copy of my Gramma’s recipe (one that was just as delicious the day you made it, or reheated the next…or even frozen, thawed and reheated), but the wait was worth it. This recipe is simple comfort food; the hallmark of my Gramma’s cooking.
FYI: This recipe uses Elephant Garlic and I know it looks like a lot, but Elephant Garlic is a member of the Leek family and has a milder, sweeter flavor with no after bite.
Makes about 1 ½ Quarts (10-12 Servings)
Ingredients:
16 oz Vegan Seitan (chikin flavor: homemade or store bought)
½ to 1 Cup Unbleached Flour
½ to 1 Cup Vegan Shortening (I used Spectrum)
1 lb Onions, cut into wedges top to root
8-10 oz Pepper (Any kind or color; chopped, sliced or in chunks)
7-8 oz. Elephant Garlic, very thinly sliced
16 oz. Sliced Baby Bella or White Button Mushrooms.
28 oz. Can Whole Tomatoes & their Juice
28 oz. Can Plum Tomatoes & their Juice
15 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
1 tsp. Sea Salt
½ tsp. Dried Oregano
Instructions:
Cut seitan into pieces like chikin tenders approximately 3 inches long by 1-2 inches wide.
Chop or slice peppers, onions & garlic. Open tomato cans and slice tomatoes into long strips. Set all aside.
If mushrooms are not sliced, do so & set them aside too.
Place flour in a bowl. Lightly dredge seitan pieces in flour & place the coated pieces in a single layer on a tray lined with parchment paper.
Melt ¼ Cup of the shortening over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. When shortening is melted and hot, lightly brown the dredged seitan pieces on all sides, adding more shortening as needed Remove lightly browned seitan to a separate dish or bowl & set aside. I usually do the browning step in several batches.
When all seitan is done & set aside, turn the heat up on the pot. When the pot is hot, add the peppers and onions. “Stir-fry” on high for ie. 30 seconds. Add salt and stir fry another 30 seconds. Add garlic and mushrooms and stir-fry another 30 seconds. Cover. Reduce heat to low or medium-low and let simmer till all vegetables are tender (about 15-20 minutes).
When vegetables are tender, add the canned tomatoes (including their juice). If you didn’t slice then earlier, break the tomatoes up as you add them. Add tomato sauce and oregano. Mix well. Turn heat up to high.
Return seitan to the pot, gently mixing it with the pot contents so that all seitan pieces are covered.
Reduce heat to low or medium-low, cover the pot and simmer on low for 30-40 minutes. You may want to check it about half way through and gently mix it to be sure nothing is sticking on the bottom.
Serve over cooked rice, mashed potatoes, orzo or any pasta or grain of your choice.
Notes:
I used Morning Star Farms Meal Starter Chikin Strips, but you can use any mock chicken seitan, homemade or store bought. To make this a truly whole foods recipe, make your own chikin seitan from scratch.
The flour and shortening amounts will vary based on the size and type of seitan, just use as much flour as you need to lightly coat the seitan pieces and as much shortening as you need so you do not have a dry pot bottom and can lightly brown all your seitan pieces.
Buying fresh sliced mushrooms is the same price as buying whole ones, but less work.
I just thinly slice each whole elephant garlic bulb. A mandolin works great for this, but I sometimes just do it by hand.
This recipe freezes really well.
You May post this original recipe elsewhere if you credit me, Alaine Chang, The Vegan Whole Foodie and provide a link to this site http//vegwholefoodie.blogspot.com
Previous Recipe posts: Better than Chicken Soup Miso Soup, Asian Scallion Hummus, Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes w/ Garlicky Mushrooms, Vegan Borchst (Red Beet Soup)
Watch for these Recipes to be posted: Wasabi Hummus, Peanut Seitan Congee
