Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Jellied Cottage Cheese and Tomato Salad!

Jellied Cottage Cheese and Tomato Salad (Woman's Day Magazine, June, 1948)
When people tell horror stories about the gelatinized concoctions they were forced to eat as children, cottage cheese is usually involved.

Today's recipe includes tomato aspic, which Dr. Husband generally responds favorably to.

Also, cottage cheese, which has a more checkered history in our home. (Though I am exceedingly proud of an early effort.)

In the accompanying video, you'll hear me declare that I've never used cottage cheese as an ingredient in a gelatin dish, which is plainly false in even a cursory search of the archives; perhaps I've just blocked the memory of some of these past endeavors, or maybe the fact that cottage cheese wasn't such a featured ingredient made me forget its presence.

Today's treat was uncovered by my hipster boyfriend-in-law, Murph, who is always game to try anything but is suspiciously absent from tasting this.

Here's the recipe:

1 envelope plain gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 onion, grated
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 pound cottage cheese
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
Cole Slaw
Green Pepper Rings

Soak gelatin in cold water; add boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add salt, onion and vinegar. Add 3 tablespoons of this gelatin liquid to cottage cheese. To remaining gelatin liquid, add tomato sauce. Pour half of tomato mixture into lightly oiled mold; chill until set (keep cottage cheese and remaining tomato mixture at room temperature) and top with cottage cheese mixture. Chill until set and cover with remaining tomato mixture. To serve, unmold on slaw; garnish with pepper.

Now that I'm a self-declared expert on all things gelatin, I'm going to say that the fatal flaw here is using tomato sauce instead of tomato juice. I also would have subbed in lemon juice for the vinegar, to give it a little brightness - or perhaps kept the vinegar but used lemon Jell-O as a base. Anyway, the end result wasn't a big win. Tasting below.

But before you go, check out this nifty online exhibit of Jell-O history!

Also, Dr. Husband wants in on the act, and is soliciting recipes for baked goods that he can make. (He says he wants actual delicious things, but don't listen - send him oddball things that will play well on Youtube. Send your recipes here!)

Speaking of YouTube, subscribe to our channel! And like us on Facebook while you're at it!

Now, then, what you're all here for:


Our Rating:  Four Screaming Husbands!
(all dishes are rated from one to five Screaming Husbands. One Screaming Husband equals a happy home where all problems are solved during cocktail hour. Five Screaming Husbands signals the beginning of divorce proceedings.)

4 comments:

  1. Surprised it got a 4. I've done tomato aspic and it just tasted like jiggly ketchup. NOT GOOD.
    Bonus points for your presentation!!!

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    Replies
    1. We actually like tomato aspic in certain situations, but I think the key is to have lemon involved somehow - juice or Jell-O. And no cottage cheese!

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  2. It was so pretty, I was rooting for it! Too bad. (But it did sound awful.)

    I actually do like cottage cheese in sweet Jell-O salads, though.

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  3. Ever thought of using cherry or cranberry jello instead? I know it's not traditional, but it's really good!

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