Representative Billy Matthews's "Mincemeat Salad"
After attempting Hubert Humphrey’s Holiday Mincemeat Pie last year, I couldn’t help but try this one when I spotted it in the “salads” section of a congressional cookbook. If you’re a reader or follower of mine, you know that 96% of salads on here do not mean greens and dressing, but jello and fear. This is no different, as Representative Billy “D.R.” Matthews transformed what is, to me, a questionable dessert (sorry, UK!) into an even more questionable gelatin salad.
Chef Billy Matthews
Democratic Representative from Florida
As always, I followed the recipe word for word directly from the pro-segregationist loser of his 1966 re-election bid, no alterations:
INGREDIENTS
1 6oz package lemon jello
1.5 cups hot water
2 cups orange juice
2 cups (meated) mincemeat
1/2 cup chopped nuts
pinch of sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
1) Dissolve Jello in hot water. Cool.
2) Add remaining ingredients, stirring occasionally.
You’ve got nut choices here, but I feel like pecans were the nut-du-jour in the 1960s when Billy was trying to keep Black Americans from having equal rights. So I went with pecans. I also had to make my own mincemeat with meat in it, as I could not find any jarred mincemeats with beef suet.
3) When it starts to set, pour into a large, oiled mold.
I went with my new favorite mold, which has held the likes of Richard Nixon’s now-infamous Ham Mousse.
4) Chill until set; unmold and serve. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Voila! If you want to actually watch me attempt to eat it, go to the Cookin’ with Congress Instagram or TikTok. If you’re on there, you’ll have seen me eat Jello before. Yet this may be the most lopsided Jello in terms of distribution of ingredients. Nuts on bottom; mincemeat on top. Lots of unspoiled meaty orange juice congealment in the middle! I’d rather not describe exactly what it looks like…I think we all know. But it sure smells like a well-balanced 1990s breakfast!
Verdict:
I did not expect this to be as difficult to eat as it was — that beef fat comes through way too strong in the sweet Jello and I had some trouble maintaining my composure. Strike two on mincemeat for me…
