Vegan Roulades

The Christmas classical in a vegan way. With rich red wine sauce, a dream!

Just one more shower, then it's Christmas (or something like that). And of course the kitchen can be a little more savory. And a traditional Christmas dinner normally can't do without roulades. And also the vegan holiday meal now must do no longer without the classic!

The traditional filling of mustard, onions and pickles is complemented by deliciously spicy homemade tofu bacon. As a base for the roulade, I decided against textured soy and instead went for Rügenwalder Steaks type beef (unpaid brand mention).

The sauce will delight even the most convinced meat eater. The dry red wine harmonizes here with sharp roast flavors and the sweetness of date syrup. As side dishes all classics of the Christmas cuisine fit here of course. Whether potato dumplings with red cabbage or spaetzle, anything works here!

For 2 roulades you need:

For the tofu bacon:

• 1 pck natural tofu

• 3 tbsp. soy sauce

• 1 tsp. smoked paprika powder

• tsp. date syrup

• a few drops of liquid smoke

• 1 tsp. olive oil

For the roulades:

• 1 pck. Rügenwalder Mühlensteak type beef

• 2 pickles

• Tofu bacon

• 1/2 onion

• mustard

• salt, pepper

• 1 tablespoon Alba oil (or other butter-flavored oil)

For the red wine sauce:

• 1 bunch of soup vegetables

• 1 1/2 onions

• 1 clove of garlic

• 2 slices of ginger

• 500ml dry red wine

• 1l vegetable broth

• 2 tbsp date syrup

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 bay leaves

• 5 pimento seeds

• 5 juniper berries

• starch for thickening (optional)

Preparation:

1. For the tofu bacon, press the natural tofu well between 2 layers of kitchen paper and cut it into very fine slices.

2. Mix all ingredients for the marinade well and re-season if necessary.

3. Add the tofu slices to the marinade, mix everything well and let them marinate for a few hours - preferably overnight - in the refrigerator. Turn them from time to time.

4. When the tofu bacon is marinated, take it out of the refrigerator and fry it in a pan without fat until crispy.

5. For the red wine sauce, peel the soup vegetables and onion and finely dice both.

6. Peel the garlic and ginger as well and slice both finely.

7. For the roulades, cut the pickles and onion into fine strips.

8. Then flatten the vegan steaks between 2 layers of plastic wrap.

9. Season them with salt and pepper and then coat them with mustard.

10. Finally, spread tofu bacon, pickles and about half of the onions (the rest can be used for the sauce).

11. Now carefully roll up the roulades and fix them.

12. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the roulades on all sides. Then take them out of the pan.

13. Pour in some more oil and fry the soup vegetables and the remaining onions so that they develop a roasted aroma.

14. After about 5 minutes you can add the date syrup and let it caramelize.

15. and let it caramelize.

16. Then add the tomato paste and roast it as well.

17. Deglaze everything with red wine and let it boil down briefly.

18. Then add broth, garlic, ginger, pimento, bay leaves and juniper berries.

19. Now the sauce must simmer for about 20 minutes on low heat with the lid closed.

20. When the time is up, add the roulades and let them simmer in the sauce for another 20-30 minutes.

21. Then take the roulades out of the sauce again.

22. Mash the vegetables with a potato masher and pass the sauce through a hair sieve.

23. If the sauce is not yet creamy enough, you can thicken it with some starch.

24. Finally, put the roulades back into the sauce and keep them warm in it until the

25. side dishes are cooked.

Enjoy!