Seitan, French Breakfast Radish & Douglas Fir Needles with Braised Baby Artichokes and Green Garlic Mashed Yukons

I picked up some Doug Fir Needles at the Farmers Market yesterday. Who would even think of using those in dishes?! I was incredibly intrigued and bought a bag and got to thinking what I would do with them. The mushroom guy who sold them to me told me to use them as a replacement for rosemary, so that helped me narrow down my ideas.
The needles are incredibly soft and fragrant, adding a wonderful herbal scent to the dish without being overpowering.

Seared seitan in a mushroom gravy with doug fir pine needles and french breakfast radishes. Served on top of creamy yukon golds with green garlic and olive oil.

Seitan, French Breakfast Radish and Douglas Fir Needles
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large white onion, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 french breakfast radish, ends trimmed
8 oz seitan, small dice
salt and pepper
1 tbl dijon mustard
2 tbl ap flour
3 cups mushroom broth
2 tbl fresh chopped doug fir needles (or fresh rosemary)

Heat oil in a large saute pan and saute the onions over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and radish and saute 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Add seitan and raise heat to medium high to brown the seitan, 7 minutes. Add dijon and stir. Sprinkle flour over seitan and toss to combine and cook for 1 minute. Pour in mushroom broth and stir to remove any clumps. Add doug fir needles and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the gravy is thick and the radishes are soft. Add more broth if the pan gets too dry. Garnish with additional doug fir needles.

Braised Baby Artichokes
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 white onion, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 baby artichokes, top 1/3 chopped off, very end chopped off, slit down the middle through the stem
1 tbl lemon juice
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup white wine

Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until slightly golden brown and soft, 7 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the artichokes and lemon juice cut side down and saute for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the vegetable broth and white wine and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise for 15 minutes until soft.

Green Garlic Mashed Yukon
4 yukon golds, small cube
1 large green garlic stalk, thinly sliced
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
vegetable broth
salt and pepper

Combine the potatoes, green garlic and salt in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and mash with olive oil , vegetable broth and more salt and pepper.