RED, WHITE AND BLUE POTATO SALAD FOR FOURTH OF JULY

This salad is one of my favorite recipes from my book "World Vegan Feast", and a great one for any summer celebrations, picnics or potlucks. 

Happy Fourth of July to my American readers and friends!

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RED, WHITE AND BLUE POTATO SALAD (OR RED AND WHITE FOR CANADA DAY)
(July 1st/Canada Day; July 4th/USA)
Serves 6
This recipe is from my book "World Vegan Feast" (Vegan Heritage Press, Woodstock, Virginia, 2011), and I have added some new information about cooking potatoes in this version of the recipe.

This patriotic salad makes a delicious counterpart to your favorite vegan burgers (here's my latest version), or even as a light main dish.  If you aren’t American or Canadian, you can simply use any kind of waxy, thin-skinned new potato wherever you are!

NOTE ON COOKING POTATOES: Use waxy potatoes for potato salads, rather than baking potatoes.  Waxy potatoes contain less starch and hold their shape better after cooking.  Steaming is the preferable method of cooking, and also microwaving (instructions in recipe), especially for blue and purple potatoes, which I find tend to get mushy when boiled.  Common white waxy potatoes in North America are round whites and long whites-- they have very thin skins.

Ingredients:

2 pounds new or nugget potatoes: use half white potatoes and red potatoes, or use 12 ounces white potatoes, plus 10 ounces each of red and blue potatoes
Dressing:
1/2 cup vegan broth
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
freshly-ground black pepper to taste (Note: I like this with plenty of pepper!)
Additional Ingredients:
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 large green onions, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 cup crumbled extra-firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup vegan parmesan substitute (such as my "Walnut Parm" from "World Vegan Feast"; or Parma!; or Go Veggie! Grated Parmesan Flavor Cheese Alternative,  formerly known as Galaxy Vegan Soy Parmesan; or my Okara Parmesan; or Parma Zaan Sprinkles )

Gently scrub the potatoes, but leave the skins on.  Leave the potatoes whole if they are very small nuggets.  Otherwise, cut into 1-inch dice.  Steam the potatoes over simmering water until  tender, about 15 minutes.  Alternative (and recommended for blue potatoes) directions: Micro-steam the potato chunks in a covered microwave-safe casserole.  For 2 lbs potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks, rinsed well, and drained, cook at 100% power for about 12 minutes. You do NOT need to add water to the casserole, BTW.

Transfer them to a serving bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the broth, oil, both vinegars, mustard, sugar, salt, garlic, and plenty of black pepper.  Whisk together to blend well, then the Dressing over the still hot potatoes.  Add the red and green onions, dillweed, tofu and vegan parmesan. Toss well to combine.  Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Enjoy!