Veggie Stroganoff

Tonight I was craving something creamy and had a big bag of mushrooms so I decided to try to make some vegan stroganoff. I happen to own a TON of cookbooks both old and new so I flipped through a few to look for the flavor profile that was unique to stroganoff. What I found was this.... they are all different! The only things that are unique to stroganoff besides mushrooms were non-vegan flavors: sour cream, beef, egg noodles. Beyond that trinity it seemed to be an "anything-goes" sort of dish. Some used basil-oregano-garlic, some used a thyme-rosemary combo. One version even called for ketchup!

Since there seems to be a laissez faire attitude towards a "proper" stroganoff, it should be the perfect dish to veganize! I created my own flavor profile. In the version in the picture I used firm tofu. This was the only misstep I feel I made. It didn't absorb the flavors well and was too heavy in the dish. I ended up eating around it and picking it out of the leftovers. The recipe below omits it.

Veggie Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 cup silken tofu
2 TBS rice vinegar (or other mild vinegar)
2 TBS earth balance or other vegan "butter"
1 TBS olive oil
3 sun dried tomatoes, drained of any oil and finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot sliced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS dried thyme
1 bay leaf, crushed
red pepper and salt, to taste
3 TBS flour
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
1 "not beef" vegan bouillon cube
1 cup frozen green peas
1 tsp browning sauce *

pasta or rice, to serve

Method:

• First make a simple vegan sour cream by combining silken tofu and vinegar in a food processor or blender and blending well. Put aside until later.
• In a 3 quart sauce pan heat oil and earth balance. Once EB is melted, saute sun dried tomatoes, onions and carrots
• When onions are soft, add the mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf.
  
• Cook until mushrooms have given off most of their water, then add garlic. Stir carefully and watch the garlic so it does not burn.
• After a few seconds add the salt, pepper and flour. Stir constantly and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the wine and water and bring to a boil.
• Once water is boiling, add bouillon cube and browning sauce*. Stir until bouillon dissolves and liquid is reduced and thick.
• Stir in the frozen peas.
• Once the peas are heated, turn down the flame and add the vegan sour cream. The mixture does not need to boil again.
  
• Serve over rice or "buttered" pasta.

* Browning Sauce is usually near the gravies and gravy making ingredients at the grocery store. Read the ingredients carefully as they are not all vegan but I was able to find one that was made of only root vegetables. If you cannot find one, leave it out. The meal will still taste good!

By the way.... if you live in the Baltimore area: check out Baltimore Vegan Drinks. Their last event was last night at Dionysus in Mount Vernon and had a great turn out. Even though I was exhausted from work I went and had a blast. It was very nice to meet lots of other area vegans and get together for a few drinks.