I am going to start this off by saying that I have been seduced by this dish. No. ‘Seduced’ is not strong enough a word. More like ‘captured’ by the combination of flavors. The zest of the vinegar, the sweetness of those browned onions, the fragrant allspice. It’s all there. In one tantalizing bite after tantalizing bite.

What also makes this recipe even more amazing are the soy protein patties in the dish. They are from Whole Foods and I have to say that their addictive! They have the best texture, almost fibrous, yet really juicy. For real. I like them so much that I am currently trying some secret scientist experiments in my kitchen to try to create them from scratch. Wish me luck.

Three great spices: 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp allspice and 2 tsps dried oregano.

Mix the spices in a bowl then coat the soy patties.

In 2 tbs of oil (I use olive) sauté the patties until lightly browned, remove from pan and set them aside.

Next cut an onion in half and make 1/4 inch slices. Add to the pan that the soy patties were in and sauté over med-low heat until caramelized. Diagonally slice 2 carrots and add to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes.

I then added some asparagus spears to the pan because, well, it’s Spring and I had them in my fridge. I snapped off the tough ends and also peeled them a bit before I added them to the pan. Sauté for about 4 minutes.

Take 3 peeled garlic cloves and cut them in half. Slice some peppers, whatever kind you like. I used a mix of pepperoncinis and sweet pickled red cherry peppers, but you could use Jalepenos or a Serrano. Whatever you chose, after you slice them add the garlic and peppers to the mix. Cook for a minute.

Next add the liquids. First add a 1/4 cup of cider vinegar.

Then add 1 cup of veggie broth. Mix well and let everything braise for 2 minutes.

You now can add the soy protein patties back into the pan, gently tucking them in between all those veggies and into the sauce. Cover with a lid and continue to cook for another minute.

To serve, I simply set the asparagus off to the side, added a small mound of perfectly cooked rice and then layed out a few of the patties topped off with the veggie mixture. Pour on some of the sauce and dinner is ready.

One more thing about this dish. It’s quick. Really quick. It came together in the time it took to make some rice. It just gets better and better, doesn’t it? What are you waiting for then? Get your Ecsabeche on tonight!

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