I gave myself a challenge for the 3 day weekend: make a vegan "top the tater" substitute. It's a Minnesota picnic staple with the cool, refreshing sour cream/cream cheese and chives. What I made isn't up to par, but it was closer than I thought I'd get on my first try. I think I over onion/garlic'd the dip, so you may want to cut back and season to taste. Also, I refused to add sugar, but I think "top the tater" has some. I think using a vidalia onion might carry the sweet and mellow out the onion flavor too. Most everyone I've brainstormed with thinks I should use a vegan sour cream in the next batch, but top the tater just seems a little thicker than that to me. Maybe half and half? I'd love help troubleshooting how to make a dead ringer of one of my favorite dishes for summer in Minnesota.
Vegan "Top the Tater" (1st attempt)
1 tub of better than cream cheese (tofu cream cheese)
2 T vegan mayonnaise
1/2 white onion
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
3-4 T chives
Place the onion in a food processor and blend. Add cream cheese and mayo and blend until smooth. Add onion and garlic powder and blend. Pulse in chives. Refrigerate and serve with ripple potato chips (Old Dutch is the classic.)
I like your efforts! I agree there is a thickness factor about the top o' the tater that really makes it special-- top the tater has gelatin in it-- what about somehow incorporating some agar? To jell it up a bit? It would have to be dissolved somehow and then maybe thrown in the food processor with some cream cheese and sour cream?
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