seitan stew with biscuits

aight. here 'tis! enjoy!

adapted from the barefoot contessa recipe. makes enough to feed a crowd of 6 - 8 really hungry people or 10 people if serving some side dishes.

For the Stew:

1 recipe of vegan with a vengeance seitan (i omit the lemon zest) (found here, or use your favourite prepared seitan or herbed tofu.)

i think i used half of the prepared seitan in the recipe - i never measure, i just throw in! so roughly:
2 - 4 cups of cubed seitan (or 1 pkg of herbed tofu, cubed)
3 T olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups vegetable stock
2 veggie bouillon cubes
1 1/2 sticks earth balance (i use way less)
2 onions, chopped
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup silk* brand coffee creamer (or nut milk, soy milk etc.)
4 - 6 carrots, medium diced-- blanched for 2 minutes
2 cups frozen peas
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions (optional)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley


For the Biscuits:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound cold earth balance (either the buttery spread or the shortening), diced
3/4 cup silk* brand, coffee creamer (or nut milk, soy milk etc.)
1/2 cup fresh parsley -- chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small saucepan, heat the veggie stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the earth balance and saute the onions over med-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot veggie stock to the sauce.

Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring until thick. Add 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and the creamer or other smilk. Add the cubed seitan, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10x13x2 inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or silicone mat in case of bubbling over and for easier removal from the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in bowl. Add the earth balance and using a pastry cutter or two knives, mix in the earth balance until the mixture is the size of peas. Add the smilk or creamer. Mix in the parsley. Do not overmix! You want everything to be "just combined" to ensure light and flaky biscuits.

Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8 inch thick. Cut out 12 circles with a 2 1/2 inch round cutter. scraps can be re-rolled and cut.

Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with a 1:1 ratio of silk creamer (or other smilk) and oil (like 1 - 2 T. of each), and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

to make in advance; store stew and raw biscuits seperately. heat stew for 25 minutes, add biscuits and cook an additional 30 minutes.