Starting with the easy methods, and working up to making seitan from scratch, I'll outline the diversity of flavor and texture you can get from seitan in your kitchen. Vegetarians should not be resigned to slimy tofu, or rubbery, "fake meat" for their culinary endeavours.

When wheat berries are floured, bran and gluten are often washed off to make white flour. This gluten is highly nutritious and very starchy, making it self-binding. Mixing it straight with water would yield a very dense loaf that's nothing like bread, and a bit like Silly Putty. Cutting it with flours, sugars, and unstarchy powders and liquids, can create a diverse array of savory and decadent proteins for your meal -- experiment!

This uses my vegan version of veal as the base for a very comforting Tuscany comfort-food. It served about 25 (small-medium portions) at a recent event, but could easily be dinner for 12-15.

First, what you'll need for the recipe:

• 1 shank of seitan veal from the seitan recipes I've made here
• 1 oz dried porcini
• 1/2 oz dried chanterelle
• A few glasses Chardonnay (and one for the doctor)
• 1 sweet onion
• 3 tbl Italian parsley, minced
• 2.5 tbl thyme
• 2 Bay leaves (for Americans: Northern Bayberry or California Laurel might grow wild and huge near you -- pick some)
• 1 large red Jalapeno (or any hot red pepper, just the red parts, diced)
• 4 tbl basil, minced
• 2 lbs soaked (or two cans) Cannellini beans
• 3 lbs diced (or two big cans) tomatoes
• 4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 lb. Orecchiette (or any small, shell pasta)
• olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• white flour