WHAT COULD BE MORE SOUTHERN THAN TO COMBINE pickled peaches, pecans, and cream cheese to make a
congealed salad? Of course, hostesses throughout the South love to serve this type of salad at church, bridge, and charity luncheons, but I’ve also discovered that nothing goes better with a glazed baked ham or virtually any meat or poultry casserole. I’m always very suspicious of commercial jars of pickled peaches and strongly urge you to learn to put up your own during the summer months.
Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
- One 3-ounce package lemon-flavored Jell-O
- 3⁄4 cup boiling water
- 3⁄4 cup pickled peach juice
- One 3-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 to 4 pickled peaches (cloves removed), chopped
- 1⁄2 cup chopped pecans
- Bibb lettuce leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a bowl, combine the Jell-O and boiling water. Stir until the Jell-O is completely dissolved.
- Add the pickled peach juice to the Jell-O mixture. Stir well and chill in the refrigerator until the mixture starts to thicken, approximately 1 hour.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the Jell-O mixture until it becomes light and fluffy.
- In another bowl, cream the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the chopped pickled peaches and chopped pecans to the cream cheese. Stir until well blended.
- Add the cream cheese mixture to the Jell-O mixture. Stir until well blended.
- Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart mold and refrigerate until firm, which takes about 2 hours.
- Serve the salad on Bibb lettuce leaves.
