Are you familiar with Gluten also called seitan? It's the protein from wheat, known for its chewy texture much like meat.

Many alternative meat products are made from gluten rather than soy.

Check their ingredients. It is a bit of work to make from scratch so here on Tthe Farm we usually make it for Thanksgiving or around the holidays.

The starch in the flour is washed away until only the protein remains. The gluten that remains can be spiced in a number of ways.

You'll want to use pastry flour which is high in gluten. There are also instant gluten flours, but the texture can become tough if you are not careful. You'll find a  recipe on how to prepare gluten from scratch along with a number of recipes in The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook.

Here's the basic recipe:

• Mix 8 Cups high gluten wheat flour and 2 cups of water and knead into a dough for 20 minutes. (Tip - I sometimes use a bread machine for this part)
  
  
• Cover and soak with cold water for 1-2 hours
  
• Knead under water. When the water becomes milky, change the water. repeat until the water becomes somewhat clear or until you have about 2 cups of raw gluten.
  
  
• Add in spices, then you can bake it all together like a roast or divide it into patties.
  
  
• Favorite flavorings include barbecue, southern style, and teriyaki.

For more details and additional receipies, go to
The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook from The Farm Catalog