Temple of Seitan is an amazing spot for vegan fried chick’n sandwiches, wraps, wings, and more. They have several London locations and co-owner, Rebecca McGuinness, was gracious enough to join us in the Wicked Kitchen. We combined her frying prowess and the flavors of New England fried seafood to make these vegan fried “clam” rolls. Brown oyster and maitake mushrooms spiked with Old Bay crab boil seasoning hit the mark here. For the full experience, see how to mimic our favorite classic New England buttered hot dog rolls too!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (355 ml) soy milk
1 1/2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose/plain flour
2 Tbsp cornmeal
1 Tbsp BBQ rub (your fave)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp onion granules
1/2 tsp crab oil seasoning such as Old Bay
Salt and pepper
Frying oil, such as rapeseed (canola)
4 top-split New England style hot dog rolls (see Note)
A few tablespoons plant-based butter, softened
4 Tbsp Wicked Kitchen mayos (see Note)
1 1/4 lbs (600 g) brown oyster and/or maitake mushrooms (Each pack here is 150g)
Instructions
Whisk together the soy milk, vinegar and hot pepper sauce, and let sit until the milk curdles and thickens up, about 5 minutes. Then give it another stir so it’s evenly thickened.
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, BBQ rub, baking powder, garlic granules, onion granules, and crab boil seasoning.
Meanwhile, heat 3-4 inches (7-10 cm) of frying oil in a deep heavy pot over medium heat. You want it at about 350ºF to 375ºF (175 to 190ºC).
Cut the shroom clusters into manageable pieces that will fit your sandwich rolls. Make each piece just a bit bigger than bite-size.
When the oil is up to temp, double dip the shroom pieces: dip first in the wet mix then in the dry mix, then again in the wet and finally in the dry. Pro tip: Use one hand for the wet and another for the dry so you don’t bread yourself!
Fry the breaded shrooms in the hot oil until golden brown and delicious, about 5 minutes. Adjust the oil heat to maintain a steady 350ºF (175ºC) temp.
Transfer the fried shrooms to a bowl and immediately dust with more crab boil seasoning.
To toast the bread, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Spread a healthy amount of softened butter on the sides of each roll, then toast the rolls in the hot pan until golden brown and delicious, 1-2 minutes per side.
Squirt a generous amount of mayo on the insides of the rolls. Stuff in a bunch of the fried shroom pieces and chow down. These sandwiches are so good!
Classic New England fried clam sandwiches are made with top-split hot dog rolls. They’re kind of rectangular, split on the top (not the side), with no side crusts. If you can’t find them, mimic them by cutting down a short baguette. To make 4 rolls, use 2 short baguettes (about a footlong or 30-cm baguette). Cut each baguette in half crosswise to make four pieces. Then for each one, roll it on its side and trim off the crusty bottom and top. Cut through the “side” (what will be the top of the roll) to create a pocket for the fillings.
The Wicked Kitchen Piri Piri Mayo and the Garlic & Caramelized Onion mayo are both fantastic here. Or use your favorite flavored mayo.
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