Flemish carbonade – vegan version

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 400 g smoked tofu
• 500 g mushrooms
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 piece(s) margarine
• 1 bottle of beer (brown Belgian beer or alternatively strong beer)
• 1 bar of chocolate (min. 70% cocoa)
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 carnation(s)
• 1 slice(s) of black bread
• 2 tbsp mustard
• 1 dashes apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper, black, freshly ground

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 45 minutes

Melt the margarine in a large Dutch oven. Add the diced tofu and mushrooms and sauté. Cut the onion into large chunks. Spread a thick layer of mustard on the bread slice. At this point, the contents of the pan should be lightly browned. Remove from the Dutch oven and place on a plate. Do not clean the pan to preserve the umami flavors for the next step. Add the roughly chopped onion to the Dutch oven and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until browned. Pour in the beer and scrape up any juices (I used Störtebeker Starkbier). Add the bay leaves, thyme, and cloves, along with the chocolate. Place the bread, buttered side down, in the pan. It will eventually break down, thickening the sauce and releasing a lot of flavor. Add the tofu and mushrooms back in. Simmer, covered, over low heat for about 2 to 2.5 hours. Once the sauce has thickened, cover the pot. Finally, add a splash of apple cider vinegar, salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste, and discard the herbs and bay leaves. Serve this delicious Flemish stew with fries, preferably homemade.