Cutlet Cuisine

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Vegan Gourmet

Cutlet Cuisine

The tastiest trend in veg restaurants is easy to re-create at home

BY Robin Asbell
PHOTOGRAPHY Richard Jung

It’s no coincidence that more and more high-end vegetarian restaurants feature “cutlets”a term usually used to describe a slice of meat with a savory sauceon their menus. “Protein cutlets afford chefs an opportunity to reassure omnivorous guests by serving a traditional plate in a nontraditional way,” explains Francesca MacAaron, manager at Candle 79 restaurant in New York. “A cutlet, seasonal vegetables, and a healthful starch let you arrange a plate in architectural layers.”

Restaurant-worthiness aside, the following recipes for seitan, tempeh, and tofu cutlets are ideal make-at-home options because they don’t take much time to prepare (the sauce does all the seasoning work) and can be made in batches for two or four people or doubled or tripled for a crowd.

January 2009 p.58

get the recipes

Braised Seitan Cutlets in Mushroom and Red Wine Sauce

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Packaged seitan, a vegetarian protein made from wheat gluten, is already seasoned, so there’s no need to marinate it before making this warming dish, which pairs well with brown rice. If you can’t find large seitan slabs for cutlets, simply use smaller pieces: dust them in flour, saute, then add

Tempeh Cutlets Provençal

Typical tempeh preparation calls for the soybean cake to be marinated and steamed before cooking. Here, pouring a hot marinade over the slices does both in a single step. Serve these cutlets with whole-wheat pasta or brown rice to round out the plate.

Tofu Cutlets with Cilantro Pesto

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Pressing extra-firm tofu for 2 hours gives it a hearty texture. For chewier, meatier cutlets, try freezing the tofu beforehand, then proceed with the draining step. Serve with steamed bulgur or couscous.