Vegetarian, Vegan and Animal Rights

4 8oz packages of Seitan
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened, divided use
1 pounds portobello mushrooms, in 1/4-inch slices
1/2 carrot, finely diced
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
2 medium onions yellow onion, sliced
2 shallots minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups full-bodied red wine
3 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 crumbled bay leaf
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon parsley

Heat half the olive oil and one TBSP butter/margarine in a Dutch Oven or large heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil. Add in carrots, onions, shallots, thyme, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook for 10 minutes or until onions begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Add seitan and garlic, cook for 6-8 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the wine and turn the heat up to high until the wine is reduced by half. Add in the vegetable broth and tomato paste, stirring well. Once it again boils reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Combine remaining butter/margarine with the flour and add to pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 30-40 minutes.

----
I usually serve this over couscous (maybe a mushroom couscous) or egg noodles.