Vegan Coq Au Vin

Yes of course, with a few considerations its easy to prepare this meal as safe for gluten-free diets. Use a gluten-free vegetable stock and a gluten-free soy sauce such as Tamari, or an alternative such as gluten-free coconut aminos, and check that the red wine vinegar is also free of gluten ingredients. Also, use a gluten-free plain flour blend and if using vegan bacon and vegan butter choose ones that are also gluten-free. Lastly, its best to check all pre-packaged food to make sure that it is safe for gluten-free diets.

Yes, although the wine or vin is a traditional addition to a classic coq au vin it can certainly be replaced with similar flavours to recreate some of the wine flavours - its sweet tangy fruity acidity. We use fresh apple juice, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and vegetable broth and coupled with the tomato paste and sugar that is used for the cauliflower steak rub it all marries together beautifully providing enough balanced acidity and deep savoury rich flavours.

In traditional coq au vin the alcohol content in the wine is mostly cooked off, but we wanted to create an alcohol-free recipe, as one, we don't tend to buy alcohol anyway, and two, we wanted to keep the cost of the recipe down and have a recipe that it is more accessible for more people.

Of course, if preferred you can add some red wine such as a Burgundy red wine or Pinot Noir, and this addition is especially good if you have some red wine leftover that needs using up.

Julia Child used 1 ¼ pts of red wine in her recipe back in the 1960s, but any amount can be used including a full bottle! If you do add some red wine then omit the red wine vinegar and reduce the vegetable broth by whatever amount of wine you add.

Julia Child also included ⅛th of a pint of Cognac, which is a type of Brandy, but for our vegan coq au vin we went with fresh apple juice as a non-alcoholic alternative.

Tomato passata is an uncooked tomato puree that has been strained of seeds and skins and it originates from Italy so it is a popular ingredient in Italian cuisine. The term 'passata' is an Italian word which simply means passed or strained.

Passata is packaged in a carton or glass jar and is usually unseasoned and it has a smoother consistency compared with crushed tomatoes, and is a bit thinner in consistency than tomato sauce or tomato paste. It is typically used as a base for tomato-based sauces, soups, and stews.

Passata is a common ingredient in UK supermarkets, and its a relatively inexpensive option, but if its difficult to source try one of the following substitutions which will all work well:

1. Canned tomato sauce is very similar to tomato passata, as it is cooked and strained tomatoes, although it often comes with additional seasoning.
2. Canned crushed tomatoes: This is another good substitute and although it is a bit chunkier than passata or tomato sauce it should still work well.
3. Canned diced, chopped, or plum tomatoes can be blended in a food processor, smoothie blender, or stick immersion blender and this is a great passata alternative. We used this substitution for our coq au vin recipe as we unexpectedly was out of passata!
4. Fresh tomatoes can be blended until smooth and its optional whether you wish to skin and deseed the tomatoes before blending. We find this step way too time consuming!
5.Tomato paste or puree can be used in a pinch if your all out of other options. Dilute 2-3 teaspoons or puree with water and although this will have a more concentrated flavour it should still work well.

Apart from the tomato paste, the above options can be used as a 1:1 substitute for tomato passata.

The mushrooms provide a hearty chewy bite and savoury flavour for the vegan coq au vin but of course as with all home-cooked meals ingredients can be substituted for another that will do just as good a job. A few ideas:

1. Eggplant or aubergine can give a similar texture to mushrooms when cooked, and it also has a mild flavour that will absorb the flavours of the sauce well, so this would be our number one choice for replacing the mushrooms.
2. Courgette or zucchini will soak up the flavours of the coq au vin and it will match beautifully with the red wine vinegar and tomato flavours of the rich sauce.
3. Bell peppers will give a different flavour but they will retain a good bite and will taste good within the deep umami tomato sauce.
4. Tofu, tempeh, or seitan are other good choices especially if you're looking for a protein boost. They don't have the same flavour as mushrooms, but they have a meaty texture and will soak up the tastiness.
5. Cooked chickpeas, green lentils, or brown lentils could also be a nice mushroom alternative and while they are a completely different texture they will add interesting textures and tasty flavours to the sauce, as well as extra nutrition.
6. Other ideas include - canned jackfruit, canned artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, roasted chestnuts, cooked carrots, turnip or parsnips chunks, green or black olives - though do consider that the olives will add extra saltiness and how this will affect any additional salt you may add.

We have not tried any of the above alternatives but considering the flavours of the coq au vin, one of the above subs should fit in nicely. Besides, not everyone is a fan of mushrooms. For one of my kids I have to remove the mushrooms from the cooked coq au vin and just dish her up the rest, as the rest of the family enjoy mushrooms! But next time we will try a substitute. Do let us know how you get on if you do use a mushroom alternative.

The cauliflower steaks could simply be replaced with medium-large cauliflower florets and cooked the same way as per the recipe. However, if you would like a different alternative try one of the following:

1.Portobello mushrooms or flat mushrooms can provide a meaty, juicy texture and delicious umami flavours. If you do choose this option your coq au vin will be double mushroom but if you love mushrooms this is a win-win! Cook the mushrooms the same as the cauliflower steaks, adjusting the cooking times.
2. Tofu or Tempeh can be sliced into thick steaks and cooked the same method as the cauliflower in the recipe.
3. Seitan steaks can be bought ready-made or prepared at home. Add the coq au vin tomato paste rub and pan fry to reheat before adding to the sauce.
4. Thick slices of aubergine or courgette can be used instead of cauliflower steaks and cooked the same way, although adjust the cooking times.
5. Butternut squash or pumpkin slices can be prepared the same as the cauliflower steaks, adjusting the cooking times to suit.
6. Acorn squash can be halved or sliced, de-seeded, and rubbed with the tomato-herb paste, and then roasted until soft. Serve the coq au vin sauce within or over the roasted squash.
7. Large broccoli florets can be cooked the same as the cauliflower steaks. Brussel sprouts could also work well as they are amazing when roasted, although they are much smaller than the other alternatives.
7. Any vegan chicken chunks, pieces, fillets, or meat-alternative steaks, can be used, just cook according to the package instructions after marinading in the tomato-herb paste.

There are several options that can be used instead of shop-bought vegan bacon. A few ideas include tempeh or tofu bacon, coconut bacon, carrot bacon, eggplant or carrot bacon, sliced up pieces of vegan deli ham or meat-free slices such as Quorn vegan ham slices, or small pieces of cooked seitan.

Cooked vegan sausages, hotdogs, burgers, chunks, or pieces can also be chopped up into small pieces and used as a bacon replacement.

Small red beans can also be a nice vegan bacon bits replacement - go with beans such as pinto or azuki and consider adding about ½ teaspoon of paprika or liquid smoke.

Alternatively, prepare our Vegan Carrot Dog or Hot-Dog recipe which results in delicious smoky, tangy, savoury, and sweet veggie hot-dogs. Add an extra carrot dog to the batch so that it can be used for the coq au vin recipe - slice the carrot dog up into small butter soft pieces and it will make a great vegan bacon bits alternative.

If you would prefer to replace the vegan butter in this recipe, there are a few options. The main role of the vegan butter is to provide a fat for sautéing, which helps with flavour and browning of the onions, mushrooms, and vegan bacon. A few alternatives are olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil such as sunflower, canola, rapeseed, or forgo the oil or fat completely and go with a small amount of vegetable broth. Although, do keep in mind that different oils and fats, as well as the veggie broth, have different flavours so the end dish will be affected by any ingredient changes.

The red wine vinegar adds some of the acidic and tangy red wine flavours that are missing from a wine-free coq au vin, but the red wine vinegar could be replaced with balsamic vinegar for a slightly different flavour. Some versions of coq au vin use white wine instead of red, so, the red wine vinegar could also be replaced with a white wine vinegar or at a pinch use an apple cider vinegar.

In traditional coq au vin recipes, pearl onions (also known as baby onions) are often used due to their size and sweet flavour. They hold up well during the slow-cooking as they keep their shape whilst also absorbing the flavours.

However, for our vegan version of coq au vin we used shallots as those were the only option available at our local supermarket, and they worked very well as they are small, and nice and sweet with a good texture. Shallots also hold their shape well during cooking.

Other options include small sweet Cipollini onions, as well as ordinary yellow or brown, or white onions, or red onions, which can be sliced into thick slices so that they do not break down too much during cooking.

Any leftover uncooked cauliflower from slicing cauliflower steaks can be stored within the refrigerator for a few days and used for a different recipe.

Some ideas for using leftover uncooked cauliflower:

1. Cauliflower Rice: Pulse the remaining cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles grains of rice. Or use a cheese grater and shred the cauliflower into tiny pieces. The cauliflower rice can then be sautéed in a bit of olive oil, or roasted in the oven, and used as a low-carb substitute for traditional rice.
2. Cauliflower Soup: Cauliflower is so delicious in a soup especially if it is a curry flavoured soup. Try our Curried Cauliflower Soup recipe which also features tasty chickpea croutons.
3. Roasted Cauliflower: Toss the cauliflower florets with some olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and your favorite seasonings [such as curry powder, paprika, garam masala powder, vegan-friendly poultry seasoning], then roast in the oven until golden with crispy bits. These cauliflower gems make a great side dish or even a snack, I could just eat a whole tray full they are just too good!
4. Cauliflower Mash: Boil or steam the cauliflower until it's very tender, then drain and mash it with a little bit of plant-based milk, garlic granules or some nutritional yeast flakes, and vegan butter until smooth. This is a great low-carb substitute for mashed potatoes.
5. Add to any of your favourite Stir-fry's or Curries: Cauliflower florets can be added to a variety of dishes like stir-fries or curries such as this super quick Stir-Fry Soup recipe, or this Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry Tofu and Veggies, and this Easy Everyday Vegetable Curry recipe.
6. Add small raw cauliflower florets to any salads for extra crunch, or dunk the florets in a tasty hummus for a delicious snack.
7. Use the cauliflower to prepare a cauliflower cheese or add it to this creamy and crispy Vegetables Au Gratin or this Vegetable Hotpot.

Finally, a few of our favourite recipes that include cauliflower are our Slow Cooker Cauliflower Tikka Masala and this amazing Lentil and Roast Cauliflower Moroccan Stew [or tagine!]. Depending on how much cauliflower you have leftover and the individual recipe, you may need to add extra cauliflower.

Most often the cauliflower leaves that are removed from the cauliflower are discarded into the rubbish bin, but the leaves are very nutritious and are worth using if they are unblemished. The leaves can be washed well and any very tough stalks and stems removed, and then sliced up to use in any soups, stews, curries, blended sauces, home-made vegetable broth, and stir-fry's.

If preparing a cauliflower soup the leaves can be used along with the florets and the finished soup blended smooth. Very small cauliflower leaves can be roasted in the oven, much like kale chips, or roast the small leaves along with roasted cauliflower florets or cauliflower steaks as there are usually only a few small leaves per cauliflower. The small leaves can also be added to a salad or a salad sandwich.

Alternatively, use the leaves instead of basil to prepare a tasty home-made budget-friendly pesto.

If not using the leaves straight away, store within the refrigerator or freeze for up to a few months in an airtight food and freezer safe bag. Shred the leaves before freezing and then they can be easily added to soups and stews straight from the freezer.

Mashed potatoes and a green vegetable such as green beans, peas, cabbage, kale, Brussel sprouts, or sugar snap peas, are perfect sides for a coq au vin. A few other ideas include this Wartime Champ [a mash of potatoes, swede, and cabbage], mashed swede [rutabaga], mashed sweet potato, baked white or sweet potato, roast potatoes, potato wedges, thick noodles, rice, wild rice, black rice, quinoa, couscous, crusty bread, French baguette, dinner rolls, fresh salad, or a scoop of these Home-made Baked Beans in a Tomato Sauce.