Walnut-Crusted Potato and 'Blue Cheese' Cakes

I was so excited to make this recipe, because only recently did I find a vegan version of blue cheese on the market. I used to love the stuff, and while the vegan version isn't exact, it's close enough to satisfy. The purveyor of this new vegan delicacy is Sunergia Foods (incidentally, they also do a great soy feta...). www.sunergiasoyfoods.com

This recipe is also a great hors d'oeuvre to offer as a vegan option if you're sick of cocktail parties with chicken skewers and meat-stuffed mushrooms. To make them:

Put 1 pound small red potatoes, halved, and a small peeled garlic clove in a pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender (about twenty minutes). Drain, then return to the pan.

Add 3 tablespoons crumbled Soy Blue cheese, 2 tablespoons soy milk (such as Silk original flavor), a teaspoon and a half chopped fresh parsley, a 1/4 tsp of salt and a dash of pepper. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. (It doesn't matter if it's vegan or not, but I love the potato masher from OXO good grips - works like a charm!)

Let the mixture cool at least 5 minutes or you'll burn your hands, then shape the mixture into 6, 1/2-inch thick patties.

Place a one-and-a-half-oz slice of sourdough bread and a tablespoon and a half of chopped walnuts in a food processor and pulse until you have crumbs. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl or plate. Dredge each potato cake in the mixture.

Heat a teaspoon and a half of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the cakes and cook on each side about two minutes.

This recipe only yields 3, two-cake servings (220 calories), but you can double, triple it, etc. quite easily.

Cost:
red potatoes $1.27
soy blue $3.50
soy milk $1.49
walnuts $4.99
sourdough bread $1.75