My Wild Irish Seitan Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
5 potatoes, cubed
1 lb baby carrots
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup tamari or 1/4 cup soy sauce
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup kale, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
8 ounces seitan, chopped in bite size pieces

Preparation

Heat oil in large stew pot over medium heat.
Add onions and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add potatoes, carrots, garlic, stock, wine, bay leaves.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add tamari, kale, muchrooms, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender, another 15 minutes or so.
Optional: While stew simmers, brown seitan pieces in a small pan wit some olive oil just to get some color. Set aside.
Stir together the cornstarch and water, add to pot and bring stew back up to a slow boil.
Stir for about 1 minute until thickened.
Add seitan, reduce heat and simmer gently for another 10 minutes.