Seitan Escalope Normande

Whisk the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and white pepper together in a large bowl. In a jug, whisk the cold vegetable stock, soy sauce, Dijon mustard and olive oil. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix until a firm, cohesive dough forms, then knead for 3 minutes until springy and smooth. Divide into 4 equal portions, flatten each by hand into an oval about 15cm long and 1cm thick, and wrap loosely in foil, twisting the ends to seal.

Bring the poaching stock, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns to a bare simmer — no more than 85°C — in a wide pot. Submerge the foil-wrapped escalopes and poach gently for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Remove the escalopes, unwrap, and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Place each cooled escalope between two sheets of baking parchment and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even 7mm thickness. Pat dry thoroughly on all sides.

Heat the clarified butter and neutral oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Sear the escalopes, pressing gently flat, for 3 minutes without moving, until a deep mahogany crust forms.

Flip and sear the second side for 2 minutes until equally browned, then transfer to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining clarified butter to the pan, and cook the shallots, stirring frequently, for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent.

Add the apple slices in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes until golden underneath, then turn gently and cook for 1 further minute. Transfer to the plate, keeping separate from the seitan.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the Calvados, then carefully return to the flame to flambé. Let the flames die out completely, about 30 seconds, then pour in the dry cider.

Return to medium-high heat and reduce the cider by half, scraping up the caramelised bits from the base of the pan, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the crème fraîche, double cream and Dijon mustard. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the sauce thickly coats the back of a spoon. Add the thyme leaves and season generously with salt and white pepper.

Return the escalopes and apples to the pan, nestle into the sauce, and warm through for 2 minutes, basting with the sauce. Scatter with parsley and a pinch of flaky sea salt, and serve immediately.