What Are You Making for Christmas Dinner?


If you’re still on the bubble, I’ve got you covered! After getting a few emails asking about the Thanksgiving roulade, I gave it another go and this time actually wrote the ingredients down. With the red pepper and spinach, this is really a showpiece. As a bonus, it’s not nearly as much work as it looks. All you have to do is make seitan (this is a nice tender recipe, easy to roll) and a filling, then roll it all up and wrap it. It’s super elegant and the puff pastry makes you an instant rockstar. Serve it with any gravy (we love the Homestyle from American Vegan Kitchen) or brown sauce you like, along with mashed potatoes of course. We actually top the roulade with gravy, but I wanted to be sure you’d see it as is here.

Note: don’t forget to take the puff pastry out of the freezer about 45 minutes before you plan to assemble this. For easiest serving, make it early in the day but wait to bake it until you’re ready to eat. Just cover the pastry wrapped roulade with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Or do all but the puff pastry wrap the day before.

Seitan and Vegetable Roulade
Serves 6 to 8

Seitan for Roulade
1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons soy flour
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoons herbes de provence (yes, a tablespoon)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch black pepper
1 2/3 cup cold vegetable broth, divided
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons dry red wine

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 X 13 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a second bowl, combine the wet ingredients but only use 2/3 cup of the broth. Mix the wet into the dry and mix well, then knead with your hands for a few minutes. Add a tablespoon or two additional gluten or broth if needed. If you have silpat, this is the time to use it. Roll the seitan out to a 9 X 13-inch rectangle. The silpat makes it easy because it holds the seitan in place. Transfer to the baking pan and pour the remaining 1 cup of broth over the seitan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove and let cool. Save the foil, you’ll need it again. While it’s cooling, make the filling.

Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced shallots (or you can use leeks)
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups finely minced cremini or baby bella mushrooms
3 cups packed baby spinach, cut into chiffonade
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and red pepper and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, spinach, thyme and rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings. Let cool.

Assembly:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (or 1 tablespoon mustard and horseradish to taste)*
1 sheet puff pastry

Transfer the seitan to the piece of foil. Spread the seitan with 1 tablespoon of mustard, or the horseradish (to taste). Spread the cooled filling onto the seitan, leaving about 1/2 inch to 1-inch border all the way around. Starting at the 9 inch-side, carefully roll the seitan up to enclose the filling. The roulade can be made the day ahead up to this point, just wrap the roulade tightly in the foil.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to an 11 X 14-inch rectangle. Spread with the remaining tablespoon of mustard. Transfer the roulade to the pastry with the short side of the roulade on the shorter side of the pastry. Roll the pastry around the roulade and enclose the ends. Wet your fingers to seal the ends closed. At this point, the roulade may be refrigerated air tight until serving, or you may bake it.

If you really want to be a fancy pants, use cookie cutters to cut extra parchment to decorate the outside of the roulade. That one shot with the hearts if from Thanksgiving.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. If you’ve wrapped the roulade in foil, remove the foil. Bake roulade on a baking sheet for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cut in 1-inch slices using a serrated knife for the cleanest cuts. Serve with gravy.

*Horseradish mustard would be ideal here! If using straight horseradish, be careful not to overdo it.

Note: leftover slices can be reheated in baking dish covered with foil. Just bake for 30 minutes or so at 350 degrees F.

If you have leftover mashed potatoes, form them into patties like burgers and cover with a panko/ground mustard mixture. Pan fry until golden for the perfect side dish.

So…..what are you making?

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21 Comments

  1. Posted December 17, 2010 at 6:18 pm | Permalink

    Oh my! That looks delicious!

  2. Posted December 17, 2010 at 11:05 pm | Permalink

    That is beautiful, Tami! I need to make this, too!

  3. Posted December 17, 2010 at 11:46 pm | Permalink

    I made something similar for Thanksgiving, but rolled with stuffing, and it not only blew me away, but every omni at the table. My sister actually said she would be happy with a vegan plate of food! Hurrah for delicious roulades!

  4. Posted December 18, 2010 at 2:41 pm | Permalink

    Wow, Tami, I think I’m having *this* :-) At least at some point during the holidays…love the puff pastry shell. I had some puff pastry in my freezer for ages until it finally all dried up and I had to get rid of it. What the heck is the matter with me?

  5. Posted December 18, 2010 at 9:16 pm | Permalink

    That looks awesome! I’m making a vegan version of a Swedish Christmas so this won’t be on there, but some other time for sure!

  6. Posted December 19, 2010 at 1:22 am | Permalink

    This looks so good. Any way to substitute for the soy flour, though? Not something I can come by on short notice.

  7. Posted December 19, 2010 at 4:12 pm | Permalink

    Eric, you can sub either garbanzo flour or more all-p for the soy flour.
    Fanny, I’d love to hear more about your Swedish Christmas.
    Zoa, I’ve done the same thing!
    Celyn, nothing like pleasing omnis, especially at a holiday dinner, huh?
    Thanks VA and Affectioknit!

  8. Posted December 21, 2010 at 2:14 am | Permalink

    Mouth watering!!!!

  9. Posted December 21, 2010 at 9:15 pm | Permalink

    This looks amazing, and I am going to make it for New Years.
    My anniversary is Christmas eve, and we always get some sort of pre-made “tofurky”.
    This year, we will be trying the one made by Vegetarian Plus. It actually is shaped like the “bird”, which I’m not so sure about, but since it’s in the freezer, will be giving it a go.

    I am sure that yours will be SO much better!

  10. Posted December 22, 2010 at 7:20 pm | Permalink

    This looks amazing, as long as I don’t use phyllo pastry by mistake :)

  11. Posted December 22, 2010 at 8:31 pm | Permalink

    Ha, Liz! Who would do that?

    In2insight, everything homemade is better, but it’s always fun to try different vegan products. Hope it’s good!

    Thanks Veg-a-nut!

  12. Posted December 23, 2010 at 2:37 am | Permalink

    Very pretty roulade. Who wouldn’t want to bite into that! Great work.

  13. Posted December 24, 2010 at 3:13 pm | Permalink

    My seitan won’t roll out! It is crazy elastic-y. What did I do??! Starting over…

  14. Posted December 24, 2010 at 3:24 pm | Permalink

    I think i figured it out! My broth was still warm… oops. Thanks for posting this!

  15. Posted December 24, 2010 at 5:03 pm | Permalink

    It worked this time! Thanks!

  16. Posted December 26, 2010 at 3:23 am | Permalink

    Made it today (actually mostly yesterday, just the puff pastry & roasting today) and it turned out perfectly. One of my omni cousins specifically requested it for leftovers… Not much left, though! Will definitely keep this one for the next holiday! Thanks!!

  17. Posted December 26, 2010 at 7:33 am | Permalink

    My husband made this for Christmas and we’ll definitely make it again sometime soon. Thanks!

  18. Posted December 26, 2010 at 10:17 pm | Permalink

    Our christmas-eve meal. Panisse, Minestrone, Spinach/Tofu ricotta rollups, and Roasted Garlic Cashew Alfredo with brocolli and peas.

    Loved by all.

  19. Posted December 26, 2010 at 10:53 pm | Permalink

    Scott, that sounds like a wonderful meal.

    Linda, Bert and Vegun Chef, so glad you guys tried it. Thank you for letting me know.

  20. Anonymous
    Posted January 16, 2011 at 8:15 am | Permalink

    I found mention of a ‘lemon berry couscous cake’ on google that linked back to your site. However, I can’t seem to find this recipe on your site. Can you help me? Also your email address that you give (noyesjtATsuite224.net) is not a valid email address.

  21. Posted January 16, 2011 at 3:48 pm | Permalink

    Anon,
    Thanks for your note. The cous cous cake recipe is here:
    http://www.veganappetite.com/2008/05/couscous-cake-contest.html

    And that is indeed my email address if you change the AT to @. I’m glad you commented here since it didn’t work for you.

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