< PreviousCENTERPIE CES AND SHO WS TOPPER S247 CAST-IRON STEAK AND ONIONS Makes 2 big steaks to serve 4 If you’re from Brooklyn—and you’re probably not even though you say you are—then you celebrate with steak. Everyone knows this from every movie. Cavernous steakhouses that date back to the last, last century lurking all over the city, tucked under bridges or beside a forgotten waterway, with their historical plaques, creaky wood floors, and signed Frank Sinatra por- traits on the wall. So let’s celebrate, Brooklyn style. Whether it’s a night of somber reflection or one of dancing and drinking (in your own home with only the members of your household and/or just your cat), this recipe works. The method is a sear-braise combo for maximum juiciness. The steaks are cooked and removed from the pan, then you create a rich au jus by add- ing onions, garlic, miso, and red wine to the juices in the pan. Then the seared steaks are returned to the pan to cook through. The end result is some of the best seitan I have ever had! Seared and smoky, firm but tender. Plus it comes with its own sauce that’s perfect for slathering. Serve with mashed potatoes or crinkle-cut fries. 1 In a large bowl, combine the wheat gluten, beet powder, nutritional yeast, lemon pepper, onion powder, and mustard powder. Make a well in the center. 2 In a small bowl, mix together the room-temperature water, the aminos, tomato paste, olive oil, and vinegar until the tomato paste is incorporated. 3 Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients and mix until a lumpy ball forms. It will appear a bit dry. Now, use your hands (with gloves if you have them) to knead the mixture until all the ingredients are incorpo- rated and there are no dry spots. If it’s very cold in the kitchen, you may have a harder time kneading. Moisten your hands with warm water and keep going until you have a very stretchy dough; it should take about 3 minutes. 4 Shape the dough into a loose ball and divide the ball in half with a knife. Again, if it’s cold, this process will take a bit longer as the seitan might spring back more as you cut. On a large cutting board, flatten each piece of dough into a kidney shape that is roughly ¾ inch (2 cm) thick and 8 inches (20 cm) in length. Using a rolling pin, roll and flatten them to form the steaks. Let the first one rest while you do the second one. FOR THE STEAKS: • 1½ cups (180 g) vital wheat gluten • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes • 2 tablespoons beet powder • 2 teaspoons salt-free lemon pepper • 1 teaspoon onion powder • ½ teaspoon mild mustard powder • ⅔ cup (165 ml) water, at room temperature • 3 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegarCENTERPIE CES AND SHO WS TOPPER S250 5 When the oven is preheated, line a baking sheet with parchment. Trans- fer the Beefington, seam side down, to the pan. Score the dough in a chevron pattern (see pic, opposite), up the length of the pastry. Brush all over with the glaze. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. If using cut-out shapes, please see step 6. 6 Have all the cut-out shapes chilled and at the ready. About 20 minutes into baking, remove the Beefington from the oven. Lightly brush the bottom of the pastry shapes with the glaze and place them on the Beefington as desired. Once placed, brush with glaze a final time. Return to the oven to bake until the decorative shapes are golden, too, about 10 more minutes. 7 Once baked, immediately remove the Beefington from oven and transfer it with the parchment to a cool surface; let cool for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Sprinkle with parsley and serve on your fanci- est serving tray. LIFE IS ROUGH PUFF 1 Combine the ice water and vinegar and keep it cold in the freezer while you do everything else. 2 Place the flour and salt in a food processor fit with a metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine. 3 Place half of the butter in the food processor and pulse 10 times. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons (85 g) of the butter and pulse another 10 times, until the mixture forms small clumps ranging from pebbles to peas. 4 Stream the chilled water-vinegar mixture into the food processor while pulsing, about 10 to 12 times, until it comes together. Don’t blend the dough; it should still be crumbly but hold together. 5 Lightly flour a clean, cold surface (a marble-type surface or stainless steel is great). Place the dough on surface and lightly form into a ball then press it into a rough rectangle, with a long side facing you. Using a rolling pin, roll out until about ½ inch (12 mm) thick. The rectangle will be about 16 inches (40 cm) wide and 6 inches (15 cm) long. The dough will be rustic and streaky but should hold together. 6 Time to fold! You will be folding it approximately into thirds. Fold one side of the dough over towards the other side, just a bit past the middle. And fold the other side over that one in the same way, so that you have three layers. 7 Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes. In the meantime, clean and dry the work surface and lightly flour it again. • ½ cup (120 ml) ice water • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, chilled, plus more for rolling • ½ teaspoon salt • ¾ cups (1½ sticks/170 g) vegan butter, cut into ½-inch (12 mm) chunks and chilled in the freezer for an hourNext >