Let me preface this recipe by saying I’m not the biggest fan of vegan “meat” alternatives. If I don’t eat chicken in the first place, I really don’t find a product made to simulate the taste and texture appealing at all. It kind of makes me want to hurl. I make exceptions for really good veggie burgers, which are basically vegetable patties, and every now and then field roast “sausage”. But I’ve always been a little turned off by fake meats. I’d rather use a seasoned, roasted portobello in place of a burger or steak. And I would certainly rather eat a roasted carrot in a bun than a fake meat hot dog.
My aversion to fake meat products is what kept me from trying my hand at both coconut and shiitake “bacon” for so long. I didn’t want to try to make them taste like something they weren’t. And I didn’t particularly want a real bacon flavor because again, I didn’t want to hurl. So I decided to use flavors that I would want in a smoky, roasted mushroom. I wanted them to be unctuous and savory. A little salty and a little smoky. And just the faintest hint of sweet.
Since it felt odd to leave you with just the shiitake bacon recipe I decided to whip up a flatbread wrap. You can fill it with whatever you have at home that sounds good but I will include in the recipe exactly what is on my version. And if you don’t feel like going the flatbread route, you can eat your shiitake bacon on whatever your heart desires. If you’re like me, it might be as simple as eating it straight off the pan while simultaneously trying not to burn your fingers or your mouth 😉
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