Seitan Roast with Fondant Potatoes and Lemon Thyme Gravy

Ingredients

For the seitan roast

• 200g vital wheat gluten flour, plus a little extra for dusting
• 50g gram flour
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried rosemary
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic purée
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
• 240ml water
• 50g cooked beetroot, blended into a smooth liquid

For the lemon thyme gravy

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 2 medium carrots roughly chopped
• 1 stick celery roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• 1 tbsp yeast extract
• 2 tsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 900ml vegan vegetable stock, kept hot in a saucepan
• 4 large sprigs lemon thyme
• salt and pepper, for seasoning

For the fondant potatoes

• 2 large baking potatoes
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 30g vegan butter
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 clove garlic
• 250ml vegetable stock

For the side vegetables

• 300g cherry tomatoes, left on the vine
• 300g asparagus
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• salt and pepper, for seasoning

To serve

• 4 tbsp mint sauce

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C / fan 150 °C / gas 3.
2. To make the seitan roast: In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. Once mixed individually, combine the two together and mix well with a spoon or by hand. The dough should be firm and not sticky.
3. Turn out the mixture on to a lightly dusted work surface. Knead for 5 minutes.
4. Roll into a log shape and wrap in muslin cloth. Wrap this in foil and place in a deep-sided baking tray. Fill the tray half full with hot water. Cover the baking tray with foil and cook in the oven for an hour. Remove from the oven. Discard any remaining water. Keep the roast wrapped to stay warm while the potatoes are cooking.
5. While the roast is cooking, make the gravy and accompaniments.
6. To make the gravy: Heat a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook for 4-5 minutes until they are well browned. Add the garlic cloves, 2 sprigs of lemon thyme and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Turn down the heat to a medium-low. Add the vinegar, jam, yeast extract and tomato purée and cook for 3 minutes.
8. Turn the heat to low and stir in the flour. Add the vegetable stock gradually, stirring to combine and create a sauce.
9. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes until thickened, stirring regularly. After 15 minutes, add the two remaining lemon thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Put a sieve over a clean saucepan and strain the gravy through the sieve, really pressing the juices through. After as much liquid has gone through the sieve as possible, discard the vegetables in the sieve. Set the gravy aside until nearly ready to serve.
11. Turn the oven to 200°C / fan 180°C / gas 6.
12. To make the fondant potatoes: Peel the potatoes, trim the top and bottom flat and then cut in half.
13. In a hot ovenproof pan, heat the vegetable oil over a medium/high heat on the stove. Sear both flat sides of the potato until golden brown, add the butter, thyme and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
14. Pour in the vegetable stock and transfer to the oven to cook for 25 to 30 minutes until tender.
15. When the potatoes are 10 minutes from being cooked, cook the side vegetables: Place the asparagus and cherry tomatoes on a baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Put in the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
16. At the same time, put the seitan roast back into the oven to heat up.
17. When everything is cooked, re-heat the gravy gently on a medium-low heat.
18. Serve the roast with the gravy, potatoes, side vegetables and mint sauce.