Chickpea Cutlets with Onion Gravy

I've played with the Veganomicon recipe for Chickpea cutlets and made them my own.  The basic recipe is still the same but I've adjusted and added.  I also like to smother these in vegetarian gravy. A plate of chickpea cutlets and mashed potatoes smothered in veggie gravy is just to die for.  My husband says he could eat this everyday and not get sick of it.

The key here is wheat gluten - buy it at most grocery stores - it makes everything stick together.  I like Bob's Red Mill brand Vital Wheat Gluten (Safeway has this).

The recipe is pretty easty and I prefer baking to panfrying.  I'm sure you'll find this on blogs everywhere but here's my go at it.

Cutlets Ingredients:
1 can (422 ml) cooked chickpeas (rinsed)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup vital wheat gluten
2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated with a Microplane grater (or garlic powder)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (or lemon juice)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 onion chopped finely
 
1. In a mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas together with the oil until no chickpeas are left. Add the remaining ingredients and knead together for about 3 minutes, until strings of gluten have formed.


2. Preheat oven to 375 F.  Meanwhile, divide the cutlet dough into 6-8 equal pieces. To form cutlets, knead each piece in your hand for a few moments and then flatten and stretch each one into a roughly 6 by 4 inch rectangular cutlet shape (about 1/2" thick). The easiest way to do this is to form a rectangle shape in your hands and then place the cutlets on a clean surface to flatten and stretch them.
 
3. Put the cutlets on a lightely greased baking sheet and bake 20 minutes one side - flip - then bake another 10 minutes on the other. 
 

 
Onion Gravy Ingredients:
1.5 cup heated vegetable broth (I like onion cubes)
1/2 onion chopped finely
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp Earth Balance or vegan margarine
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp soy sauce
 
1. In a sauce pan cook onion until soft in the vegan butter.
 
2. Add the flour and mix.
 
3. Add the cornstarch and soy sauce to the veggie broth.  Pour into the onion mix. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until thick. 
 
Now go and mash some potatoes, put everything on a plate, and smother it in gravy!