Green Salad Mold

Book description: A new and deliciously different twist for a popular stand-by – green salad is molded for added pleasure.

I know what you’re thinking.

This looks like the brain of a Cabbage Patch Kid.

Admittedly, I went a little overboard with the styling, but that seems to be a fundamental part of vintage caker cooking. The dishes have to look pretty. Problem is, I'm not sure "pretty" is the first adjective that comes to mind when you look at this. I kept wondering, "Why? Why solidify a garden salad?"

Having said that, there were lots of different textures to enjoy: Crunchy, chewy, squishy, slimy. But I think I prefer my salads footloose and fancy free. Pass the Catalina.

1 envelope Knox Unflavoured Gelatin

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 ¾ cup water, divided

¼ cup vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup chopped scallions

1 cup shredded raw spinach

1 cup chopped celery

¼ cup shredded raw carrots

Mix gelatin, sugar, salt and pepper thoroughly in a saucepan. Add ½ cup of the water. Place over low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1¼ cups water, vinegar and lemon juice. Chill mixture to unbeaten egg white consistency. Fold in scallions, spinach, celery and carrots. Turn into a 3-cup mold or individual molds and chill until firm. Unmold by dipping mold in warm water to depth of gelatin. Loosen around the edge with tip of a paring knife. Place serving dish on top of mold; turn upside down. Shake, holding dish tightly to mold. Garnish.

Source: Knox On-Camera Recipes: A completely new guide to Gel-Cookery