Braised cucumbers vegan, vegetarian or with bacon

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 ½ onions
• 200 g smoked tofu or bacon
• 3 tbsp rapeseed oil or other neutral oil
• 3 stewed cucumbers, approx. 20 cm long
• 2 garlic cloves, optional
• 70 g tomato paste, 3 tbsp
• 200 ml vegetable stock
• 200 ml plant-based cream (Plant Cream Cuisine) or cow’s cream
• 1 bunch of dill
• salt and pepper
• Chili powder, optional
• 1 tbsp, heaped potato starch or flour
• Water

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

a recipe from Brandenburg

For this recipe, you’ll need a large pan, a Dutch oven with a lid, or a wok with a lid. Dice the onions and smoked tofu or bacon and fry in oil at maximum heat until everything has taken on color and the tofu or bacon is crispy brown. This takes about 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently. Dice the cucumbers and chop the garlic. I just wash the cucumbers and don’t peel them before dicing them. I leave the soft seeds on; if the seeds are harder, you can scrape them out with a spoon. Add the cucumbers and garlic to the Dutch oven and fry for 10 minutes, stirring. Then push the cucumbers to the side, fry the tomato paste on the bottom of the pot, and after 2 minutes, deglaze with the vegetable stock. Season with salt, pepper, and, if you like it spicy, a little chili powder. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped dill, stir, and put the lid on. Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the cucumbers are soft but still have a bite. I leave the skin on for a bite. The dish can be prepared up to this point the day before. Then pour the cream into the hot dish. I usually use oat cream; you shouldn’t bring it to a boil, just let it warm briefly. I thicken the sauce slightly with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of potato starch dissolved in a little water. Regular flour works too, but it must be whisked well with the water, otherwise the sauce will lump. Now add the remaining bunch of chopped dill and season to taste. In Brandenburg, it is eaten with new potatoes. This is a very old dish that is often cooked in Brandenburg. Of course, it is not originally vegan. Since I have been living with a vegan, I have developed this version through several experiments. I now like it better than the one with meat. The smoked tofu makes a wonderful substitute for the bacon. Important: Cucumbers that hang for too long can develop a bitter taste, so you should cut both ends of the cucumber and taste it. If they are bitter, you need to cut more, as the bitter taste will remain during cooking and spoil the dish. Notes: The amount of cucumbers depends on their size. Medium-sized pickled cucumbers are about 20 cm long. I prefer this size because, in my experience, there is less risk of them being bitter. Pickled cucumbers are larger, so to speak, pickling cucumbers that grow on the ground, not snake cucumbers, salad cucumbers, or snack cucumbers. Their skin is harder, and therefore supermarket cucumbers are not a good substitute. In summer, you can often buy them at markets. In winter, you can make the recipe with zucchini, but the taste will be different. I usually use instant broth dissolved in water. Homemade broth is also great, of course.