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Roast Protose with Dressing
Cut the protose from a one-pound can in two, lengthwise. Slice the halves, but keep the protose together as if it were not sliced. Lay the halves, flat side down, on a pan. Mix together the following and pour it over the protose: 1 small onion, chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons browned flour 3 tablespoons oil 3/4 teaspoon summer savory 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 quart hot water Put into the oven to roast, basting frequently,-that is, dipping the water up over the protose. After it has cooked one hour, re-move it from the oven, pour off the gravy, measure it, and add to it sufficient hot water to make the original three-fourths quart. Put this gravy on the stove to heat, and when it boils thicken it with one-third cup flour stirred smooth with a little cold water. Pour this gravy over the protose, and it is ready to serve. Nutcero, meatose, or other similar foods may be used in place of protose.
A Battle Creek sanitarium dish: a canned vegetarian meat loaf braise-roasted in its own basting liquid, with the liquid turned into gravy at the end. Everything here works, but the central ingredient is no longer on shelves under that name.
- ProtoseProtose was a canned wheat-gluten and peanut product made by the Sanitas/Kellogg food companies; nutcero and meatose were similar canned preparations of the same period. The closest modern stand-in is a firm seitan roast or a dense peanut-and-gluten loaf, about 1 lb, sliced most of the way through and kept in one piece so it holds its shape while basting.
- Oven heatNo temperature is given. A moderate oven, around 350F, suits an hour of basted roasting.
- Three-fourths quartThat is 3 cups of hot water, poured around and over the loaf. It functions as a shallow braise rather than a roast, which is why the frequent basting matters.
- Browned flourFlour toasted dry in a skillet or a low oven until nut-brown. It gives the gravy colour and a roasted flavour that the protose itself lacks, but it thickens noticeably less than raw flour.
- Basting is the hingeThe loaf is lean and starchy and will dry and crack at the cut edges if left alone. Spoon liquid over it every ten minutes or so, and top up with hot water if the pan threatens to go dry before the hour is out.
- The thickeningOne-third cup flour slaked in cold water and stirred into 3 cups boiling liquid gives a thick, old-fashioned gravy. Let it boil two or three minutes after it thickens to cook out the raw-flour taste, and reduce to a scant quarter cup of flour if you want it pourable.
- Summer savoryA standard seasoning in vegetarian cookery of this era, peppery and slightly thyme-like. Dried thyme with a pinch of sage is a reasonable substitute if you cannot find it.
- YieldA one-pound loaf with gravy serves four modestly, or three as a main course with potatoes.