Vegan Sausage & Beer Gravy over Cheddar Scallion Buttermilk Biscuits

If you're from the right part of the gold ole US of A, you've probably heard know of a place called Bob Evan's. I'd call it a restaurant, but anyone "in the know" see it as a kitschy, interactive dinner theatre. Let me first paint the scene... 

Red and white checkered table cloths, waitresses named "Fran" and "Ethel" that ask "What'll it be, sweet pea?" in a raspy twang, biscuits that melt in your mouth like the butter smeared all over them, good pie, and lastly, a smoking section. As their slogan indicates, Bob Evan's truly is a "Down On The Farm" establishment. 

I'll always be nostalgic for the BEs of yesteryear. My present-day image of them, however, has become tainted by some recent experiences and hometown gossip. 

Part 1: On one recent trip back to Ohio, my best friend, a vegetarian, ordered scrambled eggs and hash browns. As she's mid-chew, she looks up. Her face turns ghost-white. "What?!" I ask, thinking she's about to start waving her hands in the air and I'm going to have to Heimlich maneuver. "There's a piece of chicken in my hash browns!" she screams, somewhat clearly. Vomiting and messiness ensue. Not to mention they only comp'd part of the check. Excuse me? We're both Jews. We don't stand for this type of injustice. 

Part 2: Same friend that ate the chicken-infused hash browns actually gets a job waiting tables at Bob Evan's. In her first week of work, she gets assigned a family's table. The matriarch at this table exuded Diva energy, adorned in a brand new, ALL WHITE track suit. Best friend accidentally spills a glass of grape juice on her new white track, and my best friend almost looses her life. My best friend is like a gently lamb. She is actually chastised for accidentally spilling the juice after profusely apologizing. 

Part 3: Lastly, there was Rus. Rus seemed like a nice young man at first. Best friend was about to get off of work, so I decided to cozy up at Bob's breakfast counter and down some coffee to fuel our night of partying. One of her co-workers (enter Rus) took an immediate fancy to me. Before my best friend could stop me, he had my number in hand. I'm still getting my bearings on saying "No" and setting boundaries. Turns out Rus was a major creepy-creepster stalker. He offered to teach me how to drive a manual car, and my lesbian blinders made me unaware that he was asking me on a date...a horrendous one. After an hour of blasting heavy metal and me actually wanting to learn driving a manual transmission, it because clear that the car wasn't what he wanted me to ride. I demand he takes me home immediately. 

I receive about 50 phone calls a day from him for the next week, and knew I needed to put a stop to this without endangering myself or my best friend. I tried to let him down gently, but he wasn't listening to my crystal-clear message. I had to threaten him with my parent's filing a restraining order for his phone calls to finally end. Best friend still hasn't let me live that one down. 

Bad stories aside, I still have a special place in my heart for Bob's. I can't really eat there anymore...haven't in a long time, really. But damn do I miss my teenage years feasting on their sausage, biscuits and gravy. Hell, I just miss the damn biscuits. 

I decided my own version was in order. Happy Halloween!

Vegan Sausage and Beer Gravy over Cheddar & Scallion Buttermilk Biscuits 

with Fried Dill & Dandelion Greens

For the Biscuits... 

 • 2 1/3 cups Full Fat Soy Milk (4-5g per serving)* 

 • 3/4 cup Vegan Sour Cream 

 • 3 TBSP White Vinegar* 

 • 4 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour 

 • Heaping 1/2 TBSP Salt 

 • 1/3 cup Baking Powder 

 • 1/3 cup Unbleached Sugar 

 • 1/3 cup finely diced Scallions 

 • 1/2 cup fresh Cilantro Leaves, chopped fine 

 • 1/2 cup Vegan Cheddar, finely grated 

For the "Sausage"... 

• 1 16 oz Original Field Roast Classic Meatloaf, or 2 packages of Gardenburger Breakfast Sausage patties • 6 TBSP Olive Oil, divided in half 

• 2 cloves Garlic, minced 

• 1/2 cup Fresh Dill Leaves 

• 2 cup Dandelion Greens, halved crosswise and stems removed 

• 1 Leek, top removed, split lengthwise, cleaned and thinly sliced 

• 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour • 1 cup prepared Better Than Bouillon's No Beef Broth 

• 1/2 cup Vegan Dark Ale of your choosing 

• 1 1/2 TBSP Cornstarch mixed with 1 1/2 TBSP Cold Water (optional, for further thickening) 

• Salt and Pepper, to taste 

* Chef Note: You can substitute Vegan Heavy Cream or Vegan Whipping Cream for the Soy Milk/Vinegar mix, but it won't have the slight tartness like real buttermilk. You can also mix the 2 1/3rd cups of Vegan Heavy Cream with 1 TB White Vinegar for a happy medium.

To make the Biscuits... 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly flour a work surface (like a large cutting board or clean table).  

Make the "Buttermilk" by whisking the soy milk and vegan sour cream together until fully combined. Stir in the white vinegar, and set aside for at least 5 minutes until thickened. Once thickened, mix the scallions and vegan cheddar into the "Buttermilk."

In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, completely combine the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar on a low speed or by hand. Turn the mixer up to medium, then slowly pour in the "Buttermilk", scallions and vegan cheddar until the mixture just begins to resemble a sticky dough. Quickly turn the dough out onto the lightly floured work surface, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 1/4-inch thickness. 

Using a 3-inch round cooking cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut circles out of the dough and place on a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, then set on a cooling rack until ready to serve. 

To make the "Sausage" Gravy...

If you're using the Field Roast Classic Meatloaf, cut into 12 slices. If you're using the Gardenburger Breakfast Sausage patties, make sure they're defrosted well. 

In a large saucepan, heat the first 4 TBSP of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the "sausage" in batches until browned and thoroughly cooked through, then remove from pan and place on a plate. 

Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm, and set aside. Add the second 4 TBSP of Olive Oil to the saucepan, and turn the heat up to high. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the dill, dandelion greens, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then fry for 1 minute. Remove the dandelion greens and as much of the fried dill as possible from the pan. 

Reduce the heat to medium, add the leeks. Sauté the leeks until they're soft, add the garlic, and sauté for 1 more minute. Sprinkle the cooked leeks with 1/2 cup of flour, and stir well to combine. 

Slowly pour in the No Beef Broth and Ale, whisking until all the lumps of flour are completely eliminated. Bring the gravy to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer until thickened to your liking. If you like your gravy thicker, whisk in the cornstarch/cold water blend and simmer for a few minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

To serve,  split each Biscuit in half lengthwise, the serve topped with browned "sausage" and gravy.