CONCORD, N.H. -- A recent dinner party got off to a shaky start when one guest shared his initial assessment of the meal's main ingredient, which happened to be meatless meat. "It looks like my dog's food," he said. "It's the right size, the right colour."
He was right. The nuggets of not-meat were light brown and crunchy. Thankfully, my critical guest and the rest of my party enjoyed the kibbles once they were cooked.
The star ingredient in question was texturized soy protein, known in vegetarian circles as TSP, or by the equally evocative brand name TVP (texturized vegetable protein).
Whatever you call it, this not-meat comes in two styles, granulated and chunks, and typically is rehydrated before being marinated and sauteed or baked. Like tofu, it is known for taking on the taste of what it is prepared with.
Taste aside, TSP is hard proof that vegetarians could benefit from a few marketing courses. This food, which even my carnivorous guests admitted can be tasty, simply was not named with mass appeal in mind.
One package bore the catchy, appetizing name "unflavoured chunks."
My TSP party (attended entirely by carnivores) was prompted by a call from a vegetarian friend who, on a whim, purchased several pounds of TSP, only to get it home and realize she had no idea what to do with it.
Equally clueless, I feigned wisdom and babbled on for several minutes, assuring her it would be tasty in just about anything. I can't recall what she made, but I know she hated it.
After learning of my friend's culinary failure, I did a bit of research, relying heavily on Dorothy Bates' The TVP Cookbook (Book Publishing Company).
Bates explains that texturized soy protein is made from soy flour once the oil has been removed. It then is cooked under pressure, extruded and dried. It is high in protein, low in fat and has zero cholesterol.
"This natural process creates the occasional dark piece," my wife said, reading from one of the packages. "That's what you'd worry about when you see this?"
"Isn't that how you describe wood flooring?" someone remarked.
So what do you do with it? Once rehydrated, the granules resemble ground beef and can be substituted for it in many recipes, including meatballs and Sloppy Joes, both of which my guests were subjected to.
The larger, more dog food-shaped chunks do well in anything in which you'd expect to find beef or chicken chunks (remember, they adopt the flavours of what they are cooked with or in), such as meaty stews or stroganoffs.
Both sizes have a meaty texture. Because TSP is tougher than tofu, it is a more convincing meat substitute.
Rehydrating TSP is simple. Bates recommends adding O cup (220 ml) of boiling water to 1 cup (250 ml) of granules. Stir and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then use as directed for your recipe or as a substitute for ground beef. For chunks, the ratio is 1-to-1.
For my TSP party, we tested four recipes from Bates' book, two with granules and two with chunks --Chinese barbecued chunks, Italian spaghetti balls, Sloppy Joes and shepherd's pie.
By the end of preparation, everyone agreed that working with TSP was easy. Each of the recipes began essentially the same -- rehydrate the TSP, make a sauce or marinade to flavour it, then shape, bake or saute.
As for taste, I was more surprised than anyone. Not that I liked the dishes, but that my guests did. The TSP was described as "meaty" and "oddly good."
The only complaints were that the shepherd's pie should have used granules instead of chunks, and that the Sloppy Joes weren't sloppy enough.
For the Chinese barbecue chunks, we did as Bates directed and served them appetizer-style with toothpicks.
We also thought they would be excellent tossed with pasta as a meaty sauce or served over rice or couscous.
The Italian spaghetti balls defied our expectations and held together during frying. Still, I would not test their endurance by simmering the finished product in pasta sauce. Instead, plate your pasta, add sauce, then add the spaghetti balls.
So, to help solve my friend's dilemma, here are two tasty TSP recipes. Now if only they could find a better name.
ITALIAN SPAGHETTI BALLS
(Makes 20 "meat" balls)
2 c. (500 ml) TSP granules
1 3/4 c. (425 ml) boiling water
2 tbsp. (30 m l) olive oil, plus additional for frying
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) chili powder
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) garlic powder
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) oregano
1 tsp. (5 ml) salt
1 tbsp. (15 ml) soy sauce
1/2 c. (125 ml) unbleached white flour
1. Combine the TSP and boiling water in a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. (30 ml) oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the seasonings and soy sauce. Remove from the heat. When the TSP is ready, add that and mix well.
3. Add the flour and mix to form a thick mixture. When cool enough to touch, form the mixture into 1 1/2 -in. (3.75-cm) balls, pressing firmly. Set them on a plate as you make them.
4. Heat several tablespoons of oil in a small skillet and, a few at a time, carefully fry the balls over a medium-high flame until crisp and lightly browned.
CHINESE BARBECUE CHUNKS
(Makes 8 servings as an appetizer, 4 as a main dish over pasta or rice)
2 c. (500 ml) TSP chunks
2 c. (500 ml) boiling water
2 tbsp. (30 ml) ketchup, plus 1/3 c. (80 ml)
1/4 c. (60 ml) packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp. (30 ml) dark sesame oil
2 tbsp. (30 ml) soy sauce
2 tsp. (10 ml) five spice powder
1. In a medium bowl combine the TSP, boiling water and 2 tbsp. (30 ml) ketchup. Cover and microwave on medium for 10 minutes. Or combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer over a low flame for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over a medium flame. When the sauce reaches a boil, remove from the flame and add to the TSP. Mix well and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
Transfer the chunks and sauce to a shallow baking dish. Microwave on medium power for 5 minutes, or bake at 350 F (175 C) for 15 minutes. Serve as an appetizer with toothpicks, or over pasta, rice or couscous.
