The Joys of Jell-O Recipe #130: Under-the-Sea Salad

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.