Cornmeal Biscuits and Tahini Gravy
[Vegan]

For the Cornmeal Biscuits:

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 450°F (232°C). Then, add the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt together to a large mixing bowl. When the oven is preheated, add the ¼ cup of chilled vegan butter to the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl, and then cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until all the butter has been incorporated, and so has turned the dry ingredients a pebbly texture. Make a well in the center of that, add the soy milk, and fold all the ingredients together until it forms a cohesive dough.
2. On a clean surface, divide the dough into about 6 to 8 portions, and then shape them into circular discs about ½ – ¾ of an inch thick.
3. Make sure they're relatively uniform in size. After that, set them on a baking sheet, and bake for 12 minutes, until they've puffed up and are nice golden brown on the bottom. Once baked, gently cover with foil to keep warm until you're ready to serve them.

For the Sunflower Seed Crumble:

1. Now turn the oven down to 375°F (190°C). Combine all the sunflower seed crumble ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, and mix well until all of the seeds are covered in spices. Then, spread the sunflower seeds across a baking sheet (not like all the way spread out to space between individual seeds – just not clumped on top of each other), and bake for 14 – 16 minutes, turning the seeds halfway through (7 – 8 minutes).

For the Tahini Gravy:

1. Meanwhile, in a cast-iron pan over medium heat, sauté the yellow onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once golden brown (5 – 6 minutes), add another 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, and then the flour, letting it clump up around the onions. Toast the flour for about 1 – 2 minutes. After that, add the mushroom broth, low-sodium tamari, nutritional yeast and raw tahini. Bring this to a light boil, and then reduce the heat to low-medium, continuously whisking the gravy well until it has thickened into a texture that you like. This should take 3 – 5 minutes or so to thicken sufficiently. Turn the heat to low, and cover to keep warm.

For the Cornmeal Biscuits & Gravy:

1. To serve, split a couple cornmeal biscuit in half, ladle over some tahini gravy, and top that with the sunflower seed crumble, as well as another garnish like fresh parsley or fresh chives, for color.