Step 1

Whisk together all if the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set it aside.

Step 2

In a separate small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, ginger, allspice, black pepper and cloves. This is your sauce for seasoning the seitan. Set it aside.

Step 3

Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with the oil and place it over medium-high heat.

Step 4

Give the oil a minute to heat up. Once it begins to shimmer, add the onion.

Step 5

Sauté the onion for about 4 minutes, until it softens up and begins to brown.

Step 6

Add the garlic and sauté it for about 1 minute, until it becomes very fragrant.

Step 7

Add the seitan to the skillet and sauté everything for about 5 minutes more, until the seitan begins to crisp up in spots.

Step 8

Carefully pour the soy sauce mixture over the seitan and flip a few times to mix the ingredients.

Step 9

Cook the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes more, until most of the liquid has dried up.

Step 10

Remove the seitan from the skillet and transfer it to a plate.

Step 11

Wipe out the skillet or grab a clean one and set it over medium heat.

Step 12

Butter one side of each bread slice, then place three slices (or fewer and cook the sandwiches in batches if there isn't enough room), in the skillet, butter side down.

Step 13

Layer the seitan, sauerkraut, dressing, pickles and cheese, if using, over the bread slices, then top with the remaining slices, butter side up.

Step 14

Cook the sandwiches for about 4 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy.

Step 15

Transfer the sandwiches to plates and serve.