Vegan Egg Salad

Occasionally I meet a regular reader of this column who, unlike most of my fans, isn’t related to me. This person will inevitably ask if I really make all the mistakes I write about, which is a polite way of inquiring if I even know how to cook. The answer is yes, it absolutely takes all those tries to get a recipe right, and usually more.

So, for this Insider edition of Sauce, I’m letting you in on how I write a Vegetize It column. I hope that you’ll read this and become fearless about your own cooking, or at least a little less critical of yourself when things don’t work the first time – or the fourth. Every mistake teaches you something. Even if that something is that you should order pizza.

First, the column needs a topic – a dish to make vegan or vegetarian. Topics are decided months in advance, in a brainstorming session with my charming and talented editor, Ligaya. Since I believe in sucking up to my brilliant, vivacious boss, I tell her that of course I know how to make everything she suggests. I never know how to make anything she suggests, which is why it takes me numerous attempts to create a recipe. It’s called “learning on the job.” This month we’re making something I’ve made before (No, I haven’t.): vegan egg salad. Because egg salad is made from what’s inside the eggshell, and this is the Insider edition. Get it?

You’d think a recipe for vegan egg salad would be straightforward – just vegan mayonnaise and an egg substitute. Unfortunately, my experience making vegan mayo from scratch is less than stellar; I tried to make one for my cauliflower poppers last month with ugly, oily results. I could give up and use store-bought products like Vegenaise or Just Mayo. But thanks to an afternoon of Internet research – and I mean real research, not just online shopping – I discovered Mark Bittman’s recipe for vegan mayo. Unlike mine, his is tasty, stays emulsified for days, and, after I added a pinch of saffron, is the exact color of traditional egg salad. Note: Make sure to use a high-quality olive oil. The first time, I used an olive oil I wasn’t crazy about. I wasn’t crazy about the mayo it made either. Lesson learned.

Next I had to find an egg substitute. Tofu seemed like a good, neutral canvas for Mark’s yummy mayo, but I worried that its slick surface would make the eggless salad rubbery. After a little more research, I learned how to change the texture of the tofu by pressing out moisture using layers of paper towels. After half an hour of pressing, the tofu crumbled into something that looked and felt like hard-boiled eggs.

To keep the recipes interesting, I like to add a surprising or unusual ingredient. This month, I’m adding kala namak, which sounds like a Hogwarts spell but is really a salt from India. Kala namak tastes like eggs, thanks to either magic or sulfur. Just a pinch of this superlative sodium is enough to make our vegan dish taste eggy.

So often, people are scared to deviate from a written recipe. I want readers to feel comfortable turning Vegetize It recipes into their own, so I often suggest variations. This recipe calls for curry and cumin, because the saffron sent me in an Indian direction. But you should substitute whatever flavors you enjoy. Red onions, celery, radishes, capers, dill … the possibilities, and opportunities for mistakes, are endless. Now that you’re an insider, you’ll appreciate them both.

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VEGAN EGG SALAD
Serve on vegan crackers, or make into finger sandwiches using Ezekiel 4:9 Cinnamon Raisin bread.
MAKES 1½ CUPS

1 12 oz. pkg. extra-firm silken tofu
½ cup finely diced white onion
¼ cup vegan mayonnaise (recipe follows)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ to 1 tsp. curry powder
Pinch kala namak*
Pinch ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped chives for garnish

• Remove the tofu brick from its package and blot it with paper towels. Sandwich the brick between several sheets of fresh paper towels, and place it on a cutting board. Place a heavy plate or other weight on top of the tofu so that the liquid is squeezed out. Let the tofu rest under the weight for 15 minutes. Replace the wet paper towels with dry ones, place the weight back on top of the tofu, and let the tofu rest for an additional 15 minutes. Discard the paper towels.
• Place the pressed tofu in a bowl and break it up with a spoon. Add all the remaining ingredients except the chives and stir until well blended. If desired, add more vegan mayo to make the dish creamier. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with chives before serving. The salad will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for three days.

* Available at Whole Foods Market, 1601 S. Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood, 314.968.7744, wholefoodsmarket.com

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VEGAN MAYONNAISE
Adapted from a recipe in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman
MAKES ¾ CUP

6 oz. extra-firm silken tofu, drained
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. apple-cider or white vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. salt
Pinch saffron strands (may substitute turmeric)

• Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides. Blend again for 3 minutes. Stop and scrape the sides. Blend for 1 minute longer, or until mayonnaise is fluffy. If specks of saffron are visible, allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes, then gently stir with a spoon until the saffron is fully incorporated. Vegan mayonnaise will keep, refrigerated, in a covered container, for three days.