VEGAN CHOU-FLEUR AUX TOMATES FRAÎCHES

[Vegan Cauliflower Gratinéed with Cheese and Tomatoes]

I've already told you about my local grocery store's insane sales on spinach - they recently also had these cute little Cauliettes on sale for 99¢...and I had these little tomatoes that were about to go bad...so this was the perfect recipe to use them up...

...first you make the CHOU-FLEUR BLANCHI...

...the recipe calls for seeded peeled tomatoes - but I wanted to use my little grape tomatoes...so you arrange the cauliflower in the center of a buttered baking dish and place the tomatoes around the edge...

...season with salt and pepper...

...and some melted Earth Balance...

...it's very pretty like it is...

...spinkle bread crumbs on top...

...and cheese...I used Daiya Mozzarella...

...bake until warmed through and nicely browned...

...it was really good and pretty...and it tasted sort of like pizza with a cauliflower crust...

Substitutions: only Earth Balance for Butter

Recipe here: Mastering the Art of French Cooking

p. 459-460

VEGAN (TOFU) THON À LA PROVENÇALE

[Vegan Tofu Tuna or Swordfish Steaks with Wine, Tomatoes, and Herbs]

...Julia says this can be served either hot or cold...we had ours hot...but I tried some leftovers today for lunch cold and she's right - it's very good cold too...

...start with a marinade...salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper...I also added some kelp granules for a sort of marine flavor...marinate a couple of hours...

...sauté the tofu-tuna in olive oil until lightly brown...

...arrange tofu filets in a dish...

...chop some onions and tomatoes...

...you'll need some garlic too - just mashed...

...cook some onions slowly without browning...add your garlic...

...and tomatoes...

...some thyme...

...and oregano...a little salt and pepper too...

...pour your sauce over your filets...

...pour in some wine and bake until the filets are simmering...

...remove the filets to a serving platter...

...and put the sauce in a pan...boil it down (remember Juila cares not at all how many pots and pans you use) and she says to add some tomato paste or meat glaze for added depth of flavor...I added some vegan bouillon...

...this next part was kinda weird...as it's a sort of uncooked roux - I've never done that before - just make a paste of flour and Earth Balance...

...then stir it into the sauce - off heat...

...it thickened up the sauce right away - and I guess there was enough heat to sort of cook the paste...

...pour the thickened sauce over the filets stir in some fresh parsley and serve...

...we had a nice big chopped lettuce and arugula salad...

...and per Julia's suggestion - some green beans and potatoes...

...it was lovely...

Substitutions:
Tofu for Tuna
Earth Balance for Butter
Vegan Bouillon for meat glaze

Recipe here: Mastering the Art of French Cooking

p. 219-220

Vegan Épinards en Surprise

[Vegan Spinach Hidden under a Giant Crêpe]


...our grocery store has been having an insane sale on Wild Harvest Organic Spinach (99¢)...so we've been eating lots of spinach...YUM!

...First you'll need some Épinards à la Crème...and some swiss cheese (we used Daiya Mozzarella style...

...and then you'll need to make a big CRÊPE...

...and that's pretty much it...

...you just hide the Spinach under the big ole crepe...

...slice it like a cake...

...and SURPRISE!...

...there's spinach inside...

This was a lot like the Gâteau de Crêpes à la Florentine...only a lot simpler...and without the mushrooms...but still really creamy and good...

Substitutions:
Daiya for the cheese
see the supporting recipes for their substitutions:
Épinards à la Crème
CRÊPES

Recipe here: Mastering the Art of French Cooking

p. 473