Vegan Diner (15 page)

5 ounces baby spinach, preferably organic

2 large Roma tomatoes or large beefsteak tomato, diced into large pieces

Smoky Curls (see
page 76
)

Creamy Tomato Dressing (see
page 164
)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, tomatoes, and Smoky Curls. Drizzle with
¾
of the Creamy Tomato Dressing and freshly ground pepper, tossing well. Serve right away with the remaining dressing on the side.

Tip:
This salad is also equally delicious with crispy croutons.

Variation:
Swap the Creamy Tomato Dressing for the Diner House Dressing for a different, but totally delicious salad.

 

 

 

I call this sandwich slaw because it's the ideal partner
to a Q Sandwich (
page 96
). Coleslaw gets better as it sits, which gives you time to make the rest of the sandwiches.

MAKES 4 SANDWICH-SIZE SERVINGS OR 2 SIDE SALADS

4 cups packed thinly shredded green cabbage

¼
cup vegan mayonnaise

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

½
teaspoon agave nectar, or to taste

¼
teaspoon celery seed

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

Salt and freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, mayonnaise, cider vinegar, agave, celery seed, and garlic, tossing well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Let the slaw sit for 15 minutes so that flavors have a chance to meld and cabbage softens slightly. Serve slaw on Q sandwiches, or as a side salad.

Variation:
For a spicy, kicky slaw, omit the celery seed and add Creole or Old Bay Seasoning to taste.

For years I thought
that I didn't like coleslaw, as it seemed to be a soggy salad served in small cups alongside sandwiches and burgers. Boy was I wrong. Homemade slaw need not resemble the mass-produced versions, but instead can be a flavorful salad with some crunch and lots of flavor.

Here is my version of veggie bacon, with a smoky, salty,
and slightly sweet flavor. I have found myself making these gems over and over again, whether I put them into recipes, or just munch them out of hand.

MAKES 4 OUNCES

2 cups boiling water

3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

2 tablespoons liquid smoke, divided

4 ounces dry Soy Curls

¼
teaspoon fine sea salt, optional

¼
teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

2 teaspoons olive oil, or more as needed

1 tablespoon agave nectar, any variety

In a medium bowl, combine boiling water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon liquid smoke. Add the Soy Curls and stir until well mixed. Set aside for 10 minutes, or until the Soy Curls are soft. Transfer them to a colander and drain well, pressing on the Soy Curls to remove the excess liquid. Remove any excess liquid from the bowl. Return the drained Soy Curls to the bowl, and stir in the remaining tablespoon of liquid smoke, the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, salt, and the pepper. Stir until evenly coated.

Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, coating the bottom of the pan. Add the Soy Curls and cook, stirring every few minutes, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the Soy Curls are nicely browned. If necessary, reduce the heat to keep them from burning. Drizzle the agave over the curls, tossing them well with a fork, until they are all lightly coated. Cook another minute or two, until they are slightly caramelized, and remove from the heat. Enjoy hot or cool.

Tip:
You can make these crispy or soft, depending on your preferences. You can also add a little more oil when you are cooking them, if needed or if you want them to be a little richer and crispier.

For a truly stellar
sandwich, try these Smoky Curls with lettuce and tomato, on lightly toasted sourdough or rustic bread (with a little smear of vegan mayo!).

You can purchase Soy Curls online (see Resources,
page 183
). They are a dry product, and will rehydrate easily in hot liquid. I love them, and always have a bag on hand in my freezer.

My husband Jay is the brains behind this recipe,
and let me just say that it's fantastic! This is a signature dish, one that he's been making for many years. The horseradish flavor actually mellows as it sits, so if you love horseradish like I do, add extra to taste.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

2 pounds small red potatoes, peeled

⅓
cup plain unsweetened soymilk

½
cup vegan mayonnaise, plus more as needed

2 to 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, or more as needed

½
teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, add potatoes and cook until just tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. Dice into large chunks.

In a large bowl, stir together the soymilk, mayonnaise, horseradish, and salt. Add the diced potatoes to the bowl and toss to coat with the mayonnaise mixture. Give the potato salad a few good stirs, as it helps the salad become thick and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the potato salad right away, or refrigerate until ready to serve. If you're not serving the salad right away, you may need to add a little more mayo to keep it creamy. The potatoes have a way of soaking it all up.

One of my recipe testers
said that when she first made this salad, it was hard for her to not add extra stuff into it. But, she said, after tasting the salad, she was really happy that she left it alone. I often add extra goodies to recipes too (a pinch more of this, and a sprinkle of that), but this is truly one salad that stands out in its simplicity. Good job, Jay!