Jul 13, 2010

Perfection Salad

Refreshing molded salads like this one were wildly popular when a version of this recipe was first published, in Knox Gelatine: Dainty Dishes for Dainty People (Knox, 1931). Serve the dish in slices as a side for grilled meats or salmon.

Credit: Michael Kraus

1⁄2 cup sugar

1⁄3 cup rice vinegar

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp. unflavored powdered gelatin,

  softened in 1⁄2 cup cold water

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup finely shredded cabbage

2 jarred pimentos, minced

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded,

  and minced

Canola oil, for greasing

1. Stir together sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, gelatin, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until gelatin dissolves; chill 30 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients.

2. Grease a 12" x 4" x 2 1⁄2 " loaf pan and transfer gelatin mixture to mold. Chill until set, about 6 hours.  

3. To release salad from mold, slide a knife along the edge of the mold; set mold in a bowl of hot water for 5 seconds. Invert salad onto a serving dish. 

SERVES 12