help with coleslaw from Kosher restaurant

[HeatherFeather]

Whenever I visit my mom, we eat out at least one night at Ben's Delicatessen. I love love love their coleslaw - which is a creamy based simple coleslaw without any fancy or weird ingredients. It is sweet and the dressing is quite thin, not heavy.

The thing is - Ben's is a 100% dairy free place. They even forbid baby bottles.

How do they get the coleslaw so nice and creamy and well ... dairy like? Any ideas?

I would love to be able to duplicate the recipe at home.

Here is a photo of it at the NY location, I ate at the one in FL:
http://feistyfoodie.com/2009/02/25/bens-deli-2/

It doesn't have a strong mayo taste - although I assume there could be mayo in there. The dressing is more milky in texture, not thick and goopy like a heavy mayo type.

[ann teapot]

Hi Heather, we meet on this forum for a change. I couldnt say for sure, but there are some very creamy non dairy products out there like Swedish Glace, and I suppose you can thicken up a sauce with soy milk or a silken tofu whipped up. There is Tomor which is a totally dairy free srpead, maybe you can loosen that for a sauce. Its worth thinking about and Im sure someone from over the Pond will have good suggestions.

[HeatherFeather]

Hmm - the soy milk doesn't sound like it will give quite the right taste, although it could be the right consistency. Soy milk seems to leave a very soy-is-in-there taste for me.

I have no dairy concerns personally, but I would like to try to figure out how they made this dairy free dressing taste so very good.

[Mirj]

I've actually eaten at Ben's and their coleslaw is delicious! have a friend who eats there every Sunday with her mother, I'll see if she can get the recipe, or some advice...

[HeatherFeather]

I tried making some today using a recipe from Junior's in NY, and it isn't quite the same. First of all, I am not pretty sure they did not use any garlic in the Ben's version. Junior's has some raw garlic in the dressing. They also add white pepper - which might be in the Ben's stuff, but certainly not as much as Junior's. The Junior's version was quite good - I am going to retaste it later tonight after it has chilled longer. But I am still on the hunt for Ben's!

[Mirj]

My friend emailed Ben's but hasn't received a reply. She's going to ambush her favorite waitress next time she's there.

[HeatherFeather]

I asked if they had a cookbook and the employee said they don't, sadly. Hopefully your friend will have better luck.

It is such a good coleslaw - nothing too strong about any one flavor, which I guess is why it is hard to figure out what they did. It seems like there can't be many ingredients - it is down to the prep and the amounts they add I think.

And I love their half sour pickles. I was so happy to bite into one of those bright green pickles again after so many years of deprivation. I have never seen the right version outside of the NY/NJ area until I went to Ben's.

[chia]

i would venture a guess that it's a mayo/vinegar base with salt, pepper and sugar, like most cole slaws-- i guess you have to get the right ratio.

[Robin Batterson]

can't be mayo if a kosher place, I too would like to know how to make a kosher coleslaw....

[HeatherFeather]

Robin Batterson wrote:
can't be mayo if a kosher place, I too would like to know how to make a kosher coleslaw....

I found some articles online that say Ben's uses a non-dairy Kosher mayo in their coleslaw. I have no idea if they make their own or if they use a commercial brand. And other than the shredded cabbage, I am not clear on what else they use.

Wish I could peek into their kitchen and see their pantry

[walking]

I always enjoyed the coleslaw recipe from the Jennie Grosinger cookbook, let me know if I should post it.

[NIteOwl]

Most commercial mayonnaise (Hellmans, Kraft, etc.) is kosher and parve.

[KOSHER KOOK]

Mayo is not dairy. What made you think it was? All major brands are kosher.

[Mirj]

My friend received a reply from Ben's! They asked that the recipe be kept a secret, but if you really really really want to know send me a Zmail, I can send it out to a few, but not to post it.

[HeatherFeather]

Mirj wrote:
My friend received a reply from Ben's! They asked that the recipe be kept a secret, but if you really really really want to know send me a Zmail, I can send it out to a few, but not to post it.

I zmailed you ^^ Thanks so much!