I admit I approached the next state in our Tasty States series with trepidation. After all, my knowledge of Utah’s cuisine is limited to stereotypes and internet rabbit holes.
Green Jell-O changed everything.
Once I learned Utahns and I share a love for all iterations of Jell-O salad, particularly the green variety, I felt right at home.
We are the same, Utahns and I. They were also raised with green Jell-O salad at family potlucks, which means they also spent their adult years defending the not entirely sweet yet not savory salad that is most decidedly not a salad to people outside of their family.
This green Jell-O nonsalad salad is weaved into the fabric of who we are. We can defend it up and down, but I’ve learned by now that if you weren’t raised with it, you’re probably not going to like it. I get it. You might not like it even if you were raised with it.
It’s a weird combination, no matter what version you think is normal. My normal is called pimento salad, and it involves lime Jell-O, cheddar cheese, crushed pineapple and green olives, among other delights.
Utahns will understand it must include something creamy, such as mayonnaise, milk, cottage cheese or Cool Whip in order for the salad to be opaque, which is crucial. It can be served sliced from a mold or spooned straight from the bowl.
Alongside the green Jell-O salad at a Utahn potluck, one will undoubtedly find funeral potatoes. Aptly named, funeral potatoes are a crowd-pleaser of a comfort food casserole served at funeral dinners and large family gatherings. Where there are hash browns, sour cream and cheese, there’s a hungry crowd and a soon-to-be empty casserole dish.
Try these recipes for a taste of Utah.
Funeral potatoes
1 stick salted butter
1 (28- to 32-ounce) bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
2 cups kettle-cooked potato chips
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Take the potatoes out of the freezer while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, then melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in it. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to incorporate. Cook for a minute or 2 to cook out the raw flour, but do not let it color.
Whisk in the milk, making sure to get out all the lumps. Add the broth and whisk again if there are still lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to thicken, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Turn off the heat and stir in the Monterey Jack, sour cream and cheddar. Add the hash brown potatoes and mix everything together. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan. Put the potato chips and Parmesan in a bowl and crush the potato chips. Pour in the melted butter and toss to coat. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the potatoes.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges, about 15 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe adapted from www.templesquare.com
Green Jell-O salad
1 cup crushed pineapple (drained with juice reserved)
2 (3-ounce) packages lime Jell-O
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
In a large measuring cup, add all of the reserved pineapple juice and then add enough water to the juice to make a total of 2 cups. Pour into a pot and bring just to a boil. Add the lime Jell-O mixes to the boiling pineapple juice/water and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat, and allow to cool just slightly.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and evaporated milk. Combine until very smooth. Slowly stir in the Jell-O mixture until all is incorporated. Stir in the crushed pineapple, cottage cheese and walnuts.
Pour mixture into an 8-by-8-inch glass dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight. To serve, cut into squares or spoon directly from the dish.
Recipe adapted from homecookingmemories.com
December 30, 2020 at 05:12AM
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Amanda Stone: Curious about green Jell-O 'salad?' Blame Utah - Joplin Globe
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