For the Seitan

• 1½ cups vital wheat gluten
• ¼ cup almond meal
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed & finely chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 6½ cups vegetable stock, divided
• ¼ cup olive oil

For the Stuffing

• 1½ cups mixed wild & brown rice
• 3 cups water
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed & chopped
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 cup dried figs, chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup almond meal
• ½ cup vegetable stock
• handful fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ tsp sea salt
• black pepper to taste

For Cooking Stock

• 1 large onion, cut in sixths
• 3 parsnips, quartered
• 3 carrots, quartered
• 2 ribs celery, quartered
• 2-3 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 cup apple cider
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

Special Equipment

• cheesecloth

Prepare the Seitan

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Prepare a large covered dish for the seitan, filling it with 4 cups of the vegetable stock
3. Combine vital wheat gluten with the almond meal, chopped garlic, sea salt and black pepper.  Stir to combine.  In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk 1-1/2 cups of the vegetable stock and olive oil together.  Pour the wet mixture slowly over the dry and stir to form a wet dough
4. Scoop the dough out onto a clean surface and pat into a rectangle roughly 8 x 12".  Cover with a length of double thick cheesecloth, leaving a generous overhang of 5-6" on each end.  Beginning at the end furthest away from you, begin to loosely roll the rectangle toward you, covering the exposed seitan with the extra cheesecloth as you go
5. Place the fully wrapped roulade in the vegetable stock and cover the dish.  Bake covered for 1½ hours.  Remove from oven and allow the roulade to cool completely in the dish for several hours.  Do not discard the broth

Make the Stuffing

1. Cook the rice in 3 cups of water
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat
3. Add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened
4. Add garlic and cook until golden brown.  Add celery, stirring for a minute to soften slightly
5. Scoop the cooked rice into the skillet and add the figs, bread crumbs, almond meal and stock.  Stir to combine and heat through, 4-5 minutes.  Remove the heat, add in parsley and season with salt and pepper

Prepare the Stock

1. Remove the roulade from its cooking pot and set aside.  Combine all above ingredients with the remaining stock in the pot and stir

To Assemble

1. Unroll the seitan and remove its cheesecloth
2. Gently flatten the seitan on a clean surface and spread with the stuffing
3. Use a lightly oiled hand to press the stuffing flat against the seitan
4. Loosely re-roll the seitan, carefully pressing the stuffing in if it falls out.  Once fully rolled, re-wrap the roulade in a slightly loose cheesecloth.  You may also choose to tie the roll with kitchen twine, but leave some room for the seitan to expand as it cooks
5. Place the wrapped roll back in the pot, arranging the vegetables around it and adding any additional stock to ensure that the liquid covers at least half of the roulade
6. Bake covered for 1½  -2 hours, turning halfway through

To Serve

1. Lift the roulade out, unwrap the cheesecloth and cut in ½" slices
2. The vegetables may be served as is alongside the roulade or puree them with some of the stock to make a simple sauce that is good with the roulade or with an accompaniment of mashed potatoes

Note on Ingredients

1. Vital wheat gluten can be found in many stores, often in the baking section, or check the bulk section of health food stores for a less expensive option
2. Almond meal, sometimes called almond flour, can be purchased pre-made or you can make your own by simply toasting raw almonds lightly for 10 minutes in a 350º oven, allowing them to cool completely and then processing into a fine powder