Are there any good molded salad recipes?

May 24, 2012 8:33 AM

I want to make a molded salad for a Eurovision event, as it seems like the perfect '70s thing to do. However, every one I find in cookery books makes me feel unwell and looks rather complicated for such an unappealing food. Suggestions? (Snowflake food issues inside!)

I'd prefer something savoury, but would settle for sweet if the recipe looks good. It has to be both vegetarian and not involve any alcohol. The more garish the better, I feel, especially if I can work some of Ireland's colours in there. It would also be excellent if it could withstand having several flags stuck into it without fear of collapse.

posted by lesbiassparrow to Food & Drink (9 answers total)

Best answer: This Irish Flag salad seems appropriately awesome, and by awesome I mean horrifying but also slightly compelling. Just like Eurovision.

I have not made THAT salad, but I have made similar tiered salads and you want to make very sure that each layer really really solidifies before you pour the next one on. Also, Jell-O with cream cheese is really good.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:56 AM on May 24, 2012

Best answer: My mother makes an orange jellied salad called Sunshine Salad, which features pineapple and carrots and lemon jello and which I won't eat myself but the rest of my family seems to really enjoy, so much so that I'd definitely say it's one of our traditional Swan family recipes. It looks just like this, and finding that led to my finding this green jellied salad, which features cucumbers and lime jello.
posted by orange swan at 9:24 AM on May 24, 2012

Are the vegetarians of the no-gelatin variety? That may make your degree of difficulty much higher.
posted by tchemgrrl at 9:52 AM on May 24, 2012 [2 favorites]

Gelatin isn't vegetarian and most of these salads will call for gelatin. Some vegetarians don't care much about gelatin - but don't assume!

I don't have any recipes for you, but you might have luck googling for recipes that use things like agar-agar.

This brief article mentions tomato aspic, which sounds non-horrifying and could possibly be made vegetarian with agar-agar, and made green by using a green heirloom variety of tomato.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 11:12 AM on May 24, 2012

Yup, Jello is made from hooves. So, yeah. Delish.

Here's a link to a Thai Agar mix. It's almond flavored and very, very tasty with Fruit Cocktail (I have no idea if you have it Europe, but it's canned fruits).

I suspect a little food coloring could make this lively.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:31 AM on May 24, 2012

Tomato aspic is completely horrifying. Trust me.

But seconding the nonvegetarianism of gelatin. Do check with your guests, or you will have spent all your cooking time creating a very perishable decoration. ("Pretty! Where's the food?")
posted by likeso at 11:32 AM on May 24, 2012

Response by poster: Actually, I'm the vegetarian (the no booze is someone else), so i'll have to deal with myself - but can get vegetarian jelly in some places here...so if they've got the colours, Ireland mold it will be. It will be patriotic even if inedible.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 11:57 AM on May 24, 2012

I've had gelatine made from unflavored gelatine and white wine, with grated carrot, sliced celery and some walnuts. I can't remember what else. It was delish. I rather like jello + fruit + cottage cheese. The cottage cheese makes it cloudy, and makes the unnatural colors even worse, which makes it really comforting nostalgia food, for some reason.
posted by theora55 at 9:27 PM on May 24, 2012

If you make that Irish thing, please post pics.
posted by theora55 at 9:28 PM on May 24, 2012