Howdy, Jigglers! I was very excited about the Peach and Cheese Salad, that I chose to make next due to already needing some cottage cheese, mostly because it is a Two-Way Recipe and I have done very few of those to date. The concept of recipes that are versatile enough to be salad or dessert is interesting, though I know many of them may not succeed in that capacity.
At any rate, this recipe combines quite a few standard Jell-O techniques, like layered molding, mixing fruit in gelatin, and whipping gelatin, but it is still simple to make. It was also simple to swap out some ingredients to make the whole thing slightly healthier: I used unflavored gelatin instead of Jell-O (two tablespoons in total), and for the cherry flavoring I replaced half of the water with the syrup from a can of cherries, after which I threw the cherries themselves into the mix for good measure. I know the cherries basically don't show up in the photos, but just trust me. In addition, since there was no added sugar in the gelatin, I added two tablespoons of white sugar to the cottage cheese. Other than that, I followed the recipe as written.
The first thing I noticed while making this recipe is that cottage cheese doesn't become smooth after mixing. Perhaps it would if you got your electric beaters in there, but that sounded like a kitchen disaster waiting to happen, so I just left it slightly chunky, which was fine. The other thing I didn't expect is that the cherry syrup turned a lavender color when whipped--I would have thought it would be a maroon or dusty rose color, but it turned really purple. That's not a bad thing, but it is just a bit disconcerting when you first see it. I imagine you could use maraschino cherry syrup to achieve a more red/pink look and a sweeter taste.
Tastewise, this "salad" is pretty good! The cottage cheese does add a nice creamy, savory taste, which goes nicely with the fruit. There is plenty of textural contrast as well, between the cheese, whipped gelatin--which is foamy but somehow slightly firm as well, regular gelatin, and fruit. Plus it makes a pleasant presentation, though with the whipped gelatin it is a bit difficult to cleanly serve a portion.
If you wanted to serve this as a salad, I would highly recommend omitting the sugar that I added, filling the center of the mold with additional cottage cheese (as seen in the photo from the book), and serving each piece atop some mixed greens, perhaps with a light drizzle of vinaigrette. For a dessert, it is good as is, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream to one side would take the whole thing over the top.
So here is the second Two-Way Recipe (the first being Applesauce De Luxe) that can actually work as intended! I especially like that you can create a gelatin salad without a lot of added sugar to create a dish that is more substantial and filling than your typical gelatin affair. General Foods, color me impressed.
Howdy, Jigglers! When my husband picked out the Under-the-Sea Salad to be my next Jell-O adventure, I grimaced a bit. I was picturing some lime gelatin mixed with vinegar and vegetables, and probably some seafood thrown in for extra "Why?" factor. Thankfully, the only part of that image included in this recipe was the lime.
This "salad" is really more like a not-so-sweet dessert, with a clear layer of slightly salted lime gelatin molded with a layer of slightly salted lime gelatin, pear chunks, a hint of ginger, and cream cheese. I can only assume the name comes from the image of white sand beneath a green sea with some dead stuff buried in the sand, but I make no claim as to the accuracy of that rationale.
Anyhow, I made this recipe basically as written, only substituting the juice of three limes, a tablespoon and a half of unflavored gelatin, and two tablespoons of granulated sugar for the Jell-O. As I had ripe, fresh pears on hand, I used that instead of the canned pears and pear syrup. However, I certainly think this is just about the only salad Jell-O recipe where I could see the end result turning out well with commercial Jell-O, because the lime flavor isn't that bad. I would probably add some real lime juice regardless, though, but I just really like limes.
This was the first recipe out of TJOJ that I've made to have distinct layers, and a word to the wise: keep an eye on that Jell-O! I normally have a "the watched pot never boils" experience with getting gelatin to set to a given degree, but it all depends on the mold you are using. In this case, I planned on making the whole thing in my Bundt pan, but then I forgot and put it in my mini ring molds instead. Those things are so small that the gelatin was set but not firm in five minutes instead of the two hours that the technical guide in the book states. So keep in mind that those guidelines are geared towards one big mold, and act accordingly.
Luckily, since the molds are so small, there was no issue of the fruit floating or sinking in the cream cheese layer once I added it, even though the cheese layer was not even close to set--there was simply nowhere for those pear chunks to go. And lo and behold, the two layers connected but didn't mix, which is a big success for me! Maybe I set the bar too low for myself.
Anyway, I was very pleased with both the appearance and taste of this mold. Without any food coloring, the clear layer really does resemble sea water, and it contrasts nicely with the pure white layer of cheese. Tastewise, though, this salad is especially impressive. It is just salty/savory enough between the limes, the cheese, and the ginger to feel like a salad, but it could be used as a dessert due to the sweetness of the pears. (As an aside, if you made this using canned pears/syrup and actual Jell-O, it would probably turn out sweet enough to easily pass for a dessert.) Plus, the addition of the cream cheese makes the whole dish feel more substatial and filling.
All in all, the Under-the-Sea Salad was a smashing look at the more savory possibilities of gelatin. I think the key to these kinds of recipes is to play to gelatin's strengths instead of trying to mimic preexisting recipes. In this instance, you've got a combination of textures (clear and creamy), a logical combination of flavors (lime, pear, ginger, cheese), and a balance between savory and sweet that doesn't involve vinegar. That is a win in my book, so congratulations to the General Foods team for scheming up (or more likely ripping off) a genuinely great recipe.
