Farmers Market Finds & Vegan Sausage Making

Saturday was hot. One of the few truly hot days in the Pacific Northwest. We went to the farmers market as soon as it opened and that paid off with lots of produce from my favorite farmers. I couldn’t pass up Anette’s tomatoes she had:

I used the tomatoes in a simple sauce to go with handmade sausage I made on Friday evening, that also used a new Worcestershire sauce recipe.

Until a month or two ago I used bottled Worcestershire sauce and had moved to a vegan version about 2 years ago. This was my second homemade version to make of it, I like this one the best but be sure to make it on a day when you can open the windows. The vinegar scent really carries. Once you try homemade, you will keep making it. It is so easy and no preservatives – or ingredients you don’t want.

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp filtered water
• 1 tsp organic granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp mustard powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp granulated garlic
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan, whisk until the spices blend in. Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for 1 minute. Set aside to cool down, pour into a small jar to store. Keep refrigerated, shake before using.

Makes about ¾ cup.

I won’t lie, this recipe takes awhile to make but it is easy. The photo above is after they were steamed.

Fair warning…it is pretty gross looking before you steam the sausages. You’ll understand once you make it. Kirk gave me a good ribbing over it. Still, once they are steamed it is worth it! Then you can slice it up and use it however you would like! I have found that simmering it in a sauce gives it a great texture.

Vegan Sausage

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten
• ½ cup Nutritional Yeast
• ½ cup Garbanzo Bean Flour
• 1 Tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp paprika powder
• 2 tsp granulated garlic
• 1¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2¼ cups filtered water
• 3 Tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce

Directions:

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl whisk the wet together, add to the dry and stir until mixed, the dough will be spongy.

Divide the dough into 10 1/3 cup portions. Roll each out into a sausage form, about 6″ to 7″ long. Tear off a sheet of foil, place a “log” on each one, roll up, then twist the ends and fold over. Make sure you have rolled them tightly or the mixture will burst out.

Bring a pot of water to boil, add the wrapped sausage to a steamer basket in the pot. cover and steam gently for 30 minutes.

Take out and let cool a bit, then unwrap and chill. Store wrapped in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for later use.

To serve, slice up and heat through – either in a sauce or sauté in oil. I find the sauce method keeps the sausage moist.

Makes about 10 sausages.

Pasta with Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Sausage

Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs small tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp capers, drained
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 3 vegan sausages, sliced in half lengthwise, then sliced thinly
• 13.25 ounce package multi-grain or whole wheat pasta, used fusili shape
• 4 cups broccoli florets (1 small bunch)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°. Add the tomatoes, capers, oil and oregano  to a large rimmed baking sheet, stir to coat (hands work best). Roast for 25 minutes. If it starts smoking, lower the heat to 400°. Take out and let cool a bit, then pulse in a blender or food processor until lightly chunky. Transfer to a medium saucepan, set over medium-low heat and add the pepper and sausage, heat till simmering.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for time on package, adding the broccoli in the last 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve a cup of the cooking water, drain pasta. Add to a large bowl and toss with the sauce and as much of the reserved water as needed to make a creamy sauce.

I added a nice sprinkling of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese and served.

Serves 4.

~Sarah