VEGAN TARTE À L'ANANAS

[Vegan Pineapple Tart]

...Julia gives no description or suggestions for this tart at all...but she jumps right in with the pineapple prep...

...but I started with the sugar crust...

...you'll need to make the Vegan Pâte Sablée...

...I just left it sort of free form as it was kind of pretty and just a half recipe...

...then you drain the pineapple and boil it down for about 5 minutes...and add some cognac (or kirsch)...

...then add the pineapple rings...

...then add some red currant jelly...

...and continue to cook that down...

...to a syrupy consistency...

...then you make the VEGAN CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE

...paint the pineapple/currant syrup over the prebaked sugar crust...

...then add the VEGAN CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE...

...so pretty...

...then add the pineapple rings on top...

...prettier...

...pop an almond into each pineapple center...

...the prettiest...

...finally brush some more of the syrupy glaze over the top...

...and serve...

...it really is a lovely dessert...

...it was quite easy to cut with the pie server...(actually my wedding cake cutter)...

...I just used the pineapple rings as a guide for each serving...

...the custard was the perfect texture...

...and it was very sweet and really delicious...

Substitutions:

...the subs are actually in the supporting recipes...

VEGAN CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE
Vegan Pâte Sablée

Mastering the Art of French Cooking (pp. 644 - 645)

Vegan Beurre Marchand de Vins

[Vegan Shallot Butter with Red Win]

...Julia says this recipe is for steaks and burgers...

...so I made a vegan filet...using Tracy's delicious recipe...this is a link to the Web Archive where you can find a copy as her blog has gone the way of many blogs...

...I have it copied out in my binder and often use it for vegan steaks...

...first you chop up a small amount of shallot or green onions...just a tablespoon or so...

...this recipe uses a lot of vegan butter...so use your favorite...I used Earth Balance...

...and cook that in some vegan butter...

...add some red wine...

...and cook it down until there's just about 1 1/2 tablespoons...

...and then stir in some more vegan butter...a lot...

...and spoon it over your vegan steak...

...served with peas and carrots and the potato casserole from last week...

...this is a delicious sauce...very rich and buttery...obviously...

Substitutions:

vegan butter - we used Earth Balance

Mastering the Art of French Cooking (p. 103)

VEGAN GRATIN DE POMMES DE TERRE AUX ANCHOIS

[Vegan Gratin of Potatoes, Onions, and Anchovies]

...this recipe is in the Entrees and luncheon dishes section instead of the potato chapter of the vegetable section...

...and I had these different coloured fingerling potatoes that I wanted to use up...

... and I gathered some vegan 'anchovy' materials...sushi nori, soy sauce, capers, and mushrooms...

...just started cooking the mushrooms...

...ground some sushi nori into granules in my old coffee grinder...for some 'fishy' flavor...

...and added that to the mushrooms along with some capers and caper juice, and some soy sauce for salty umami flavor...

...and cooked those down until they were pretty dry...

...and then I sauteed the onions in the same pan...which may not have been what Julia intended as she says to cook the onions without browning...I didn't really brown them but the leftover seasonings in the pan turned them pretty brown...haha...

...then you'll just need to make the VEGAN SAUCE BÉCHAMEL/SAUCE VELOUTÉ...

...and assemble everything in a casserole dish...

...top with the vegan anchovies...

...and vegan cheese...I used this new kind from Aldi...

...pour over some optional melted vegan butter...Julia also suggests anchovy oil...and you could make some fishy oil by sauteeing some nori in some oil if you wanted more of that flavor...

...ready for the oven...

...and baked for about 40 minutes...

...this was so delicious...I'll definitely be making this casserole again...

Substitutions:

vegan butter - we used Earth Balance
vegan cheese - we used the new one from Aldi
vegan anchovies - we used mushrooms flavored with capers, soy sauce and nori
substitutions for the VEGAN SAUCE BÉCHAMEL/SAUCE VELOUTÉ..

Mastering the Art of French Cooking (pp. 154 - 155)