Dave's Seitan Po' Boys With Brown Gravy (Vegan)

"You can get an undressed vegan French fry po' boy in The Quarters, but its only good if you lug a big jar of Vegenaise with you. To make good with this sandwich, try to find the lightest and airiest sub rolls you can, French bread is much heavier than the traditional loaf we use in NOLA, but it'll work in a pinch." - From the Papa Tofu cookbook.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 -2  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 2 -3  lbs seitan, sliced thin (homemade or store bought)
• 1⁄2 onion, finely chopped
• 5  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  tablespoons soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup unbleached white flour
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1 -3  cup vegetable broth
• 1  teaspoon garlic powder
• 1  teaspoon onion powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet (gravy browner)
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

Directions

1. Saute the seitan, onion and garlic in oil until the onions soften and the seitan begins to brown.
2. Add the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and saute a little longer until all the ingredients mix together well and the vinegar cooks off a little. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Make a roux: whisk the flour in 1/4 cup oil over medium heat, be careful not to burn the flour (whisking constantly and add more oil if you need it).
4. When the roux is brown, add 1 cup vegetable broth and stir or whisk until the texture is smooth. Whisk in more broth until the texture of the gravy is somewhere between thick and thin.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to stir to blend well. Add a little more Kitchen Bouquet and soy sauce if it's not dark enough, but don't go overboard.
6. To assemble: Add the seitan mixture to the gravy and stir everything up good. Slather your favorite vegan mayo and yellow mustard on some laterally sliced French bread, and pile on the seitan and gravy. While you're at it, add some sliced tomatoes and shredded lettuce and bite into that "dressed" po' boy sandwich!