Will the Real UnTurkey Please Stand Up?

For years, when I had Now and Zen Bistro, and then later when The UnTurkeys were flying out of our facility to stores nationwide,  I had no time to plan my own Thanksgiving.  During the restaurant days, we'd get started on our multi-course UnT-day feast weeks in advance.  UnTurkey with all of the fixings - it didn't get better.  One year, I even had a customer seated on a five-gallon bucket in the kitchen - he had driven up to San Francisco from Santa Barbara without reservations and didn't care where he sat as long as he had UnTurkey, so he munched happily away in the bustle and  madness of the kitchen.

Now that I have the luxury of planning our Thanksgiving menu weeks in advance, I find myself approaching the holiday ever so casually. The planning part is easy -- after all, the menu, aside from a few tweaks, is pretty much the same every year.  Of course, it starts with UnTurkey.   One year, I thought people might like a change and I served something else.  Uh-oh.  In our house, tradition rules. I'm allowed a few culinary diversions, but the basics have to stay the same.  Yesterday,  I finally got around to making the UnTurkey, and today, I got a head start on dessert.   I don't know if anyone else is as behind as I am, but there's still time to make the UnTurkey..  And here's my recipe - don't be daunted by the length - it's actually easier than you think.  One thing is really important - the Light Yeast Seasoning.  This easy-to-make seasoning made from nutritional yeast and herbs is a wonderful poultry flavor and broth substitute, so make a lot of it. I use it in so many recipes, not just for this.   It's used in every component of the UnTurkey - in the "meat", the "skin", the gravy and the stock, so make that before you get started with anything else.


Makes one very large UnTurkey, enough to feed 12 and still have leftovers for sandwiches and UnTurkey Noodle Soup.

Light Yeast Flavoring:

1 cup good tasting nutritional yeast flakes
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. tarragon
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. rosemary
2 tsp. sage
2 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder

Pulverize all ingredients in a blender until powdered. Store in a jar in a cool place.

For the UnTurkey: 
6 cups water
1/3 cup soy sauce
½ cup Light Yeast Flavoring

8 cups vital wheat gluten

1/2 cup garbanzo flour

Step 1 -  In a large bowl, combine the water with the soy sauce and Light Yeast Flavoring, then mix in the garbanzo flour and wheat gluten, mixing well, until a soft, pliable dough is formed.  If dough is too wet, add a little more wheat gluten.  Form into an oblong ball and place on a greased sheet pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes until puffy and light brown.  

Step 2:  Transfer to a large pot and cover with water. Add to the water a half-cup of soy sauce and another half-cup of the yeast flavoring. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for an hour or more, adding more water to make sure that the gluten is covered.  Make sure that it is at a simmer and not a rapid boil in order to avoid too much expansion and large air pockets.  Do not discard the liquid – it will be used in the gravy and can be used as stock for UnTurkey Noodle Soup the day after Thanksgiving. When the seitan is cool enough to handle, cut a piece off the bottom to serve as the bottom of the turkey when formed, and then split it.  Here's what it should look like when split down the middle.  Now, you'll prepare the yuba and a mound of stuffing, upon which this will be draped. 

Step 3 - The Yuba "Skin":  Get your roasting pan out.  Brush it with oil so that everything doesn't stick.  You'll need to soak 2 - 3 sheets or rounds of yuba.  Wait a minute, what's yuba, you're thinking.  It's actually the skin that forms on soy milk when heated, and can be purchased either dried or frozen in Asian grocery stores. This is what forms the delectable  and crispy "skin" of the UnTurkey.  You can use either the dried or frozen, although the latter is better all around.   If using dried yuba, soak for 5 – 10 minutes in water until soft and pliable. If using frozen, thaw and soak for only a minute or two.  You'll see it transform from yellow to a milkier, lighter color.  Now remove your yuba from the water and spread it out two layers in your roasting pan so that the edges go over the pan.  Place in the middle the piece of UnTurkey that you cut off.  If necessary, slice that in half to create a flat surface about 3 - 4 inches wide and 8 inches long.  

Step 4 - Make the stuffing.  Actually, you should make the dressing while the  UnTurkey is cooking in the pot.  You can use any recipe you like, or the one below.  

Traditional Dressing:

4 Tbsp. oil
1 large oni

on, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced

1 lb. mixed mushrooms, sliced, tossed with oil and roasted in the oven

1 ½ lbs. Bread, cubed and dried in oven
1 Tbs. rubbed. sage
1 1/2 tsp. marjoram
1 1/2 tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Celery seed
1 tsp. salt
2 cups UnTurkey stock

Heat the oil in a pan. Saute the onions, celery, and mushrooms briefly. They should still be crisp . Combine with the remaining ingredients, moistening with stock as desired.

Once you have the stuffing, mound it on the piece of UnTurkey that you have placed on the yuba.  You'll have something that looks like this:

Step 5: Now, drape the split UnTurkey over the mound of dressing -- this is studded with succulently roasted mushrooms.  You'll now have this:

Step 6: Fold the overhanging yuba over the UnTurkey as neatly as you can.  If necessary, you can use drape another layer of yuba over the top.  Now, you'll have to season and flavor the yuba to create a tasty "skin".  Brush all over with the following mixture:

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup white wine

2 – 3 Tbs. Light Yeast Flavoring

Step 7:  You're ready to bake!  Or if you're not, you can wrap well and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to several months (Easter?).  Otherwise, cover loosely in aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour; remove the aluminum foil and continue to  bake for another 10 minutes until brown and crispy. Baste again.  Now, all you need is gravy!

Gravy:

5 Tbsp. Oil
1/2 cup. flour
4 cups reserved gluten stock
2 – 3 Tbs. white wine
several dashes soy sauce
3 - 4  Tbsp. Light Yeast Flavoring

Heat the oil in saucepan. Add the flour and cook for two minutes. Add the reserved gluten stock, white wine, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick. For more flavor, an additional tablespoon of the Light Yeast Flavoring may be added.

Lastly, here's a photo of a real turkey perched on my back fence -- I wonder if the flock will drop by for dinner?  Happy Free the Turkey Day!