Thousand Island Salmon Spread

Makes one 5½-cup mold · 4 hours to set (2 hours if you freeze it)

Ingredients

Ingredient	Amount
Unflavored gelatin (Knox)	2 envelopes
Cold water	½ cup
Boiling water	1 cup
Sour cream	16 oz
Thousand Island dressing	¾ cup
Lemon juice	1 tbsp
Canned salmon, drained and flaked	16 oz
Dried dill weed	1 tsp

Method

1. In a medium bowl, mix the unflavored gelatin with the ½ cup cold water and let it soften.
2. Add the 1 cup boiling water and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved — no visible grains.
3. Add the sour cream, Thousand Island dressing, lemon juice, flaked salmon and dill weed. Stir until evenly combined.
4. Turn into a 5½-cup mold and chill until firm, about 4 hours. In a hurry, 2 hours in the freezer works — the tester confirmed it sets completely without freezing solid, thanks to all that sour cream.
5. To unmold: dip the mold briefly in warm water, run a thin knife around the edge, place a plate on top and invert.

Notes

• Halve it for a standard fish-shape mold — the blogger did, because half fit hers and she was making several molds.
• Canned salmon with skin and bones is what the era used; the tester picked out the skin and bones for a smoother spread, but noted you can leave the bones in (they mash easily and add calcium).
• Garnish: olive slices for eyes, parsley around the base. Described as mandatory for the full mid-century effect.
• The verdict, from the tasting notes: “Actually, yeah. It’s really good. It tastes like tuna salad that has pickles in it.” Creamy, tangy, with the dill coming through — and it doesn’t taste like salad dressing.
• Serve with: crackers. It’s a spread, not a salad course.

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Note: this is the recipe as reproduced on the blog, including its note that it was halved in the demonstrated version — the amounts above are the full cookbook amounts. I haven’t cooked it myself, so the “really good” verdict is theirs, not mine.