Vegan MoFo Day 11: Creamed Eyeballs

OK, not really, although you could bill it that way for Halloween. This delicacy is my grandmother's admittedly scary grape salad. It was often produced for family events, or dinner on the grounds (or in the basement) at the Rye's Chapel Methodist Church, in Southside, Tennessee. I never knew what was in it until my cousin Laura (note to sensitive folks - her linked food blog is very omni) unearthed the recipe for me.

I doubt this recipe will have many takers, but if you want to make it vegan, here you go: Mix together 8 oz vegan cream cheeze (I used Vegan Gourmet) and 1 c Nayonaise (which I don't normally like, but it is supposed to be close to the Miracle Whip of the original). Drain one 20 oz can of pineapple, and add enough water to the juice to make 1 1/3 cups. Bring to a boil and stir in 2 packets of Natural Desserts Unflavored Vegan Jel. Add this liquid into the cream cheeze mixture. Fold in one can of Soyatoo Soy Whip. Then fold in the pineapple chunks and 2 lbs of red grapes, cut in half. Refrigerate at least one hour until firm.

Pineapple is a known enemy of vegan jels, and will often prevent them from setting properly. This was the case for me. The gelatin original of this recipe becomes quite solid, and can be sliced into blocks. (Yes, yes, so appealing...) The above veganized rendition set somewhat, but was much more scoopable than sliceable. This was, in my opinion, not a bad thing. Based on some internet research, I think you could achieve a sliceable consistency (should you really want it...) by adding more vegan jel powder.

All joking aside, this tastes surprisingly good -- although I freely admit that its appeal may be primarily due to nostalgia. I may make it only once a decade, but it brings good memories, and its frightening appearance insures that I have it all to myself!