Chicago-Style Italian "Beef" (Seitan) Sandwiches
1 pound seitan, very thinly sliced
3 cups vegetable stock
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 tablespoons hot Italian giardiniera peppers or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons fennel seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 green bell peppers, sliced
6 French rolls
1. If using a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except rolls, and stir to incorporate. Cook on high for 2 to 4 hours.
2. If using a stovetop, place all ingredients except rolls in a large pot, stir to combine, and simmer, covered, over medium heat for 1 hour.
3. Lightly steam French rolls. Spoon seitan and peppers into each roll.
4. Just before serving, spoon a few tablespoons of the "au jus" over each sandwich to somewhat saturate the roll. (In the best Chicago sandwich joints, they simply dunk the whole sandwich!) Roll up your sleeves and pass the napkins.
As a Chicago native, and in my pre-vegan days, the "Italian Beef" was my favorite sandwich. I realized soon after I went vegan that I didn't need to lament having to give up this flavorful sandwich, as seitan stands in beautifully for the roast beef. Besides, it's the combination of all of the other ingredients that makes this sandwich so delicious.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
This is really good! I've never been to Chicago, but I definitely like their sandwiches!
here is a Giardiniera recipe my mom makes, maybe it can be useful to someone ?
1 pound green Italian olives
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 large clove garlic, sliced thin
2 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
1 celery stalk, sliced diagonally
2 cups cauliflower, cut into small chunks
1/2 red pepper, quartered and sliced
1/4 cup sport peppers or less to taste
1 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
all you have to do is kinda crush ( but not too much) the olives and add them with everything else in a jar. you can layer everything, it's pretty!
This sandwich has become my favorite way to eat seitan. I've made it several times (had it for dinner tonight!) and it's delicious every time. I don't have fennel seed a home so instead I use anise and dill seed and I think it works really well. I also add my bell peppers towards the end of cooking as I really don't like mushy veggies. I have no idea what Hot Giardiniera is, so I just add some cayenne pepper instead (don't have red pepper flakes!). Definate thumbs up! :)
The Hot Giardiniera, or whatever, is that a brand that sells antipasto in jars and peppercinis and things like that? ??? If so, which exactly am I supposed to use for this recipe? It sounds delicious and have been looking for a veggie au jus sauce. THanks
These are absolutely amazing! My boyfriend loooove loooove LOVES these, as do I. Thank you so much for a fantastic recipe!! :D
So good. Unfortunately I was already veg before I moved to Chicago so I don't know how these compare to the real Italian Beef sandwich, but they were really good. I wasn't quite sure what to do with the Hot Giardiniera, so just chopped up the veggies really fine and tossed them in. I should have added a lot more because I ended up adding quite a bit of cayenne to make it hot enough. I would definitely make these again.
Yum - we had this for dinner tonight. It has quite a kick!!
This was REALLY good! :) I'd been craving a sandwich like this for quite some time. Thank you so much for the recipe! I will definitely be making this one again. :)
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