I'm always veganizing recipes that I love...so...I'm working my way
through all of the amazing recipes in Julia Child's
Mastering the Art of French Cooking...
...making a Vegan Version of each one...... sometimes successfully - sometimes not...Recipe Count 518/524 (from Julie's count)...but really 629

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Vegan Choucroute Braisée Á L'Alsacienne - [Braised Sauerkraut]

Also Choucroute Garnie - [Sauerkraut Garnished with Meat] - (substitute, of course)...

The Man's Grandmother (known to us as Mamaw) makes and cans sauerkraut - and, each year, gives us about a dozen of these pint jars...

...so I drained and soaked...

...sliced my carrots and onion...

...popped that into a preheated oven with the 'facon' and some vegan margarine for a few minutes...

...in a covered casserole without browning...

...then I added the sauerkraut and put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes...

...then I made up my little bouquet garnis...I used six little Tellicherry peppercorns...

...and some of last years dried parsley and a bayleaf...I put it all into my little tea diffuser - Julia suggests washed cheesecloth - but I thought my little diffuser would serve the purpose...

...and since I don't have any juniper berries and no way to get any here - I used gin - Julia's suggestion (which I know nothing about so I don't know if this is a good one or not)...

...added vegan chicken stock - and the white wine - I know it's not really dry, but I had a Reisling on hand and Julia recommends it for serving with this dish - so I was going to open it for that anyway...

...I did not add any salt - and since I'm using a covered casserole I also didn't put the buttered paper on top...

...Let that cook for 4 1/2 to 5 hours - Julia says that once it's in the oven it requires 'little or no attention'...

...It will absorb all of the liquid...

...I added a couple of sliced Tofurkey Beer Brats - Kielbasa would have been better and I do have a good recipe for vegan kielbasa - but alas - no time...

...Served with a nice glass of the Reisling, roasted potatoes and peas - all Julia's suggestions - and I must say that the wine was perfect with this supper...

...the sauerkraut becomes very soft and almost sweet and I'm glad I didn't add the extra salt - it really was delicious - So far Julia's three for three - everything's been great...
...Even with the purchased sausages - I still think this was a pretty frugal meal - with 2 sausages shared among 3 people and the potatoes from our garden...


Substitutions:
Earth Balance for butter
Facon for Bacon
Vegan Chicken Bouillon for Chicken Broth
Tofurkey Brats for sausages

2 comments:

  1. In Nottinghamshire - where a quarter of my family come from and where I was born and bred, grandmothers are called mamar - ma mar - not a million miles from mamaw. Any Nottinghamshire links?

    My other three quarters are - Yorkshire, Sussex and London (mixed up)!

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  2. Really? The sauerkraut absorbs all that liquid? I've had a similar meal in the Amanas. Very tasty.

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