Congealed Salads

Congealed salad. Jello salad? What do you call it? In the southern states, they go mostly with congealed, but you may know it by other names: gelatin salad, jelly salad, Jell-O salad or molded salad. A congealed salad is made with flavored gelatin, fruit and sometimes grated carrots or, more rarely, other vegetables. Other ingredients may include cottage cheese, cream cheese, marshmallows, nuts or  pretzels. 

No Sunday dinner, family reunion, funeral luncheon or gathering of friends in the South would be complete without at least one congealed salad on the table. Indeed, it is not unusual to find three or four. And although you might confuse a congealed salad with dessert, they are always, always, served as a side dish with the main meal. It has to do with that sweet-salt combination that Southerners love.

Now before you go turning your nose up at congealed salad, look at its origins. Congealed salad, I believe, descended from the very Victorian jellies produced by famed chefs during that time period. Some of those creations were very complex and were both savory and sweet. Dessert jellies were highly prized and available mostly to the more well-to-do of the time. It's name comes, of course, from that fact that the contents - be they fruit or vegetables - are thickened, or congealed, into gelatin.

It was around the 1930s when jelled or “congealed” salads really boomed though, literally taking over the salad category in many cookbooks all over the country. Jello introduced lime flavored gelatin around this time because it seemed to be a well rounded flavor to suit many recipes, both sweet and savory. The Amazing Coca-Cola Salad was introduced at some point by replacing part of the liquid in the congealed salad with small bottles of Coca Cola. It became so popular that Jello introduced, very briefly, a cola flavored gelatin. It didn't go over very well though.In the 1960’s and 1970's congealed salads were wildly popular.

Of course there are also jellied consommés and aspics, most of which use un-flavored gelatins and are generally on the savory side. Many use some form of a tomato base and contain a variety of meats.

Cook's notes: I need to go on record saying this lime salad was quite popular in the North also in the 70's and 80's. 

Lime Gelatin Salad

Ingredients

• 3 oz. package lime jello
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups boiling water
• 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Directions:

• Using a mixer blend the jello with the cream cheese.
• Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest possible, add the water in small amounts at a time 
• Continue mixing until the cream cheese, jello and water are thoroughly mixed and smooth.
• Pour into a mold or dish.
• Refrigerate until the mixture is partially set (about two hours, but check periodically).
• Remove from refrigerator and stir in the remaining ingredients.
• Return to refrigerator until completely set. 
• Check after an hour to make sure the marshmallows are submerged. If not, stir them into the mixture again. The salad will need about 4 hours to completely set.
• Cut into squares to serve.

Ingredients:

• 15 oz. can mandarin orange segments, separated (reserve juice)
• 6 oz. orange gelatin (Jell-O) 
• 2 - tablespoons sugar
• 1- 3/4 cups low fat buttermilk 
• 8oz. container lite whipped topping (cool whip) 
• optional adding nuts and/or mini marshmallows

Directions:

• In a small sauce pan heat the mandarin orange juice along with the sugar. Bring to a low boil until the sugar dissolves. 
• Add Jell-o and mix well. Remove from heat and let the mixture come to room temperature. Chop the mandarin oranges and add to the jell-o mixture (set aside 6-7 segments for garnish). 
• In a large bowl pour in the Jell-o mixture and add the buttermilk; stir to combine. Refrigerate the mixture for one hour. Remove and stir. Fold in the whipped topping; mix well and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. 
• Add the remaining orange segments just before serving. You can make this recipe up to 24 hours in advance. 

Cherry Coke Salad

Cook's notes: This salad is about as retro and southern as you can get. Retro because of the popularity of gelatin salads back in the 60′s, 70′s and early 80′s. Southern because of the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola company and Georgia being the leader of US pecan production.
Ingredients:

• 1 can (15 oz.) pitted, dark, sweet Bing cherries
• 1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple
• 3 oz. black cherry jello
• 3 oz. strawberry jello
• 12 oz. can Coca-Cola, chilled
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, walnuts or slivered almonds
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened

Directions:

• Drain the canned cherries and the canned pineapple, reserving 1-1/2 cups juice (combined total).
• On the stove top, heat the reserved fruit juice, just until it starts to boil.
• In a large bowl, dissolve both boxes of jello in the hot fruit juice; stir. Stir in the chilled Coca-Cola.
• Chill the mixture until partially thickened. Mix the drained Bing cherries, drained pineapple, and nuts together.
• Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy and fold the beaten cream cheese and the fruit mixture into the partially thickened jello mixture.
• Chill in a large serving bowl until firm or pour the mixture into a mold and chill until firm.