Bryant Terry's Tempeh, Shiitake Mushroom and Cornmeal Dumpling Stew

Photo: Helen Pitlick

Ingredients

'Shroom Stock:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced (include skin)

1 large carrot, sliced thinly

4 celery ribs, sliced thinly

1 pound button mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced thinkly

2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms

1/2 garlic bulb, unpeeled, broken up and crushed

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

9 cups water

Dumplings:

5 cups water

1/2 whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons ground flaxseed

1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons cold, unflavored rice milk

Stew:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 pound tempeh, sliced into ½ inch finger, then sliced in half widthwise

2 mediums leeks (white and tender green parts), chopped finely

2 tablespoons finely-chopped shallot

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

coarse sea salt

8 1/2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly

2 large celery ribs, sliced thinly

2 mediums carrots, sliced thinly on the diagonal

2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup silken tofu

1 tablespoon minced thyme

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

freshly ground white pepper

Preparation

In a stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add all other 'Shroom Stock ingredients except for the water and saute, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour, until the vegetables are soft.

Strain the vegetables, pressing down to extract the juices. Compost vegetables. Set stock aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the 5 cups of water to boil.

Sift together the dry ingredients for the dumplings in a medium-sized bowl. Make a well in the center and stir in the wet ingredients until the dough just comes away from the bowl.

Reduce heat under saucepot to low. Gently drop tablespoons of the batter into the water using a small ice cream scoop of tablespoon, waiting about 15 seconds between each drop. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. When dumplings are done, gently remove from water with a slotted spoon, drop onto a plate, and set aside. Discard the water in the saucepan.

While the dumplings simmer, warm the 1 cup of olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the tempeh fingers and brown, about 3-5 minutes. Turn the fingers over and brown the other side, another 3-4 minutes. With a large, slotted spatula, transfer to a plat lined with paper towels. Repeat with other half.

Pour out most of the olive oil from the pan into a bowl, reserving the oil. Add the leeks, shallot, red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp salt to the skillet and saute over medium-high heat until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, celery and carrot and cook for a further 5 minutes. Push all the vegetables to the perimeter of the pan, leaving a space in the middle. Pour 1 tbs of olive oil and the 2 tablespoons flour into this well; stir to mix. Add 1 cup of the stock, mix everything in the pan, and simmer until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

Transfer all the ingredients to the saucepan that was used for the dumplings. Add the remaining 'Shroom Stock and the tempeh fingers and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. With a ladle, remove 1 cup of the broth from the saucepan and transfer to an upright blender. Add the tofu and blend until creamy. Pour this mixture into the saucepan and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Stir in the thyme and lemon juice. Simmer for 1 minute, then season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Serve each bowl of stew with a few dumplings on top.