One of my favorite dishes to make for potlucks during the spring and summer is my mom's 7 layer salad. The original is served in a large see-through bowl (I use a punch bowl) and has the following layers:
1 head of lettuce (or 2 1/2 romaine hearts) chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large bag of frozen peas
2 cans of sliced chestnuts
4-5 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 small bunch of chopped green onions
Spread a large jar of mayonnaise on top (like frosting)
and finally, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top
You need to wait a couple of hours before eating for the peas to defrost. They keep the mayo cold so you don't need to worry about it staying out. As the peas defrost and people dig into the salad, the mayo thins out and makes an amazing dressing.
Since people seem to enjoy the 7 layer salad I thought it might be worth trying a vegan version. I have several vegan friends and thought that they might like to enjoy all the yummy goodness.
I decided to make it red, white, and green. Here is what I came up with:
1 head of lettuce chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large bag frozen peas
2 cans sliced chestnuts
2 chopped red peppers
1 container of grape tomatoes - cut in half
Almonnaise* spread over the top like frosting
small batch of green onions, chopped and sprinkled over the top
*I made a double batch of the almonnaise the night before and used apple cider vinegar. I found the vinegar taste to be a bit overpowering and will try reducing the vinegar by one tablespoon. The mixture was very loose at first, but it thickened up nicely overnight in the fridge.
I think that the original is the best, but the vegan salad came out pretty good. It just needs a little tweaking. If anyone has a good vegan mayo recipe, please let me know.
