It's summer and starting to sizzle outside here in my little corner of the Southwest. So I look for foods that are less likely to heat up the kitchen, or at least until the sun goes down. This Fourth of July, if you're like me, try making this simplified but luscious potato salad. It looks and tastes like Mom's....and with the chunkiness, the creaminess and that turmeric goin' on, I'll bet you won't be able to tell that there aren't any eggs in there! There's a whole 'lotta color and isn't that what the 4th is all about? I've gotta watch it -- I'm starting to sound like Rachel Ray!
Pair the potato salad with this light yet rich vegetable stack sandwich which is an adaptation of a sandwich which was devoured by moi last week at the Eugene, Oregon airport restaurant. Even though my flight was delayed 4 hours, I found Heaven (with a capital H) in the To Go box while sitting at the gate. Since coming home, I recreated the sandwich several times and made a couple of changes (the cream cheese and the roasted red bell pepper) that give it another level of texture and flavor. Bon appétit!
Ingredients:
10 large red potatoes, cut into quarters
pinch of salt
3/4 - 1 cup Vegenaise (vegan mayonnaise)
2 tablespoons stone ground yellow mustard
3/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/2 - 1 teaspoon turmeric
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
3/4 cup sweet white onions, diced small
3/4 cup celery, diced small
1/4 cup red bell pepper, minced
1/4 cup green onions, minced
paprika (a light dusting on top)
Scrub the potatoes and cut them into quarters and place in a pot of water with a liberal pinch of salt. Bring to boil and test potatoes after 15 minutes. They should be tender. Drain the potatoes and set in the refrigerator to cool while you make the dressing.
In a medium bowl, combine the vegan mayonnaise with the mustard, the sweet relish, the salt and pepper, and blend. Add the turmeric starting with 1/2 teaspoon then blend and check for color. You want it to have a pale ivory yellow color which makes the potato salad look like it has eggs in it. If it requires more, add up to an additional 1/2 teaspoon. Set aside.
The potatoes should have cooled off enough for you to handle them and their jackets will come off easily with a little help from a paring knife. Cut them into 1/2 inch chunks and place in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and mix. Check seasonings adding more salt, pepper and/or sweet relish if needed. Place potato salad into serving bowl and dust with paprika. The longer this is refrigerated, the flavors get to hang out and have a gastronomical party.
Pair the potato salad with this light yet rich vegetable stack sandwich which is an adaptation of a sandwich which was devoured by moi last week at the Eugene, Oregon airport restaurant. Even though my flight was delayed 4 hours, I found Heaven (with a capital H) in the To Go box while sitting at the gate. Since coming home, I recreated the sandwich several times and made a couple of changes (the cream cheese and the roasted red bell pepper) that give it another level of texture and flavor. Bon appétit!
Easy Peasy Potato Salad
Ingredients:
10 large red potatoes, cut into quarters
pinch of salt
3/4 - 1 cup Vegenaise (vegan mayonnaise)
2 tablespoons stone ground yellow mustard
3/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/2 - 1 teaspoon turmeric
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
3/4 cup sweet white onions, diced small
3/4 cup celery, diced small
1/4 cup red bell pepper, minced
1/4 cup green onions, minced
paprika (a light dusting on top)
Scrub the potatoes and cut them into quarters and place in a pot of water with a liberal pinch of salt. Bring to boil and test potatoes after 15 minutes. They should be tender. Drain the potatoes and set in the refrigerator to cool while you make the dressing.
In a medium bowl, combine the vegan mayonnaise with the mustard, the sweet relish, the salt and pepper, and blend. Add the turmeric starting with 1/2 teaspoon then blend and check for color. You want it to have a pale ivory yellow color which makes the potato salad look like it has eggs in it. If it requires more, add up to an additional 1/2 teaspoon. Set aside.
The potatoes should have cooled off enough for you to handle them and their jackets will come off easily with a little help from a paring knife. Cut them into 1/2 inch chunks and place in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and mix. Check seasonings adding more salt, pepper and/or sweet relish if needed. Place potato salad into serving bowl and dust with paprika. The longer this is refrigerated, the flavors get to hang out and have a gastronomical party.
Fresh Vegetable Stack Sandwich
Ingredients for two sandwiches:
- 4 slices of whole grain or gluten free bread (slightly toasted)
- Vegenaise (vegan mayonnaise) on each top slice of bread
- 2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese (or Philadelphia brand's Garden Vegetable or Chive and Onion Cream Cheese, or Follow Your Heart Cream Cheese Alternative with 1 tablespoon minced chives mixed in) on each bottom slice of bread
- 1-2 slices deli sliced Jack cheese (or vegan Jack cheese)
- Roasted red bell peppers (optional: recipe follows) or jarred, rinsed red bell peppers
- English cucumber, thinly sliced
- Tomato, thinly sliced
- Avocado slices
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Red, green, or butter lettuce leaf (something ruffled)
- Salt between the vegetable layers
Roasted red bell peppers :
- 2 large red bell peppers, tops cut off, seeded and split in half lengthwise
- 2 T. olive oil
