Aspic

From John Sgammato

This is used in a number of the fancy salads that we serve at the Twelfthnight Gala. Use it for lining molds and in the useful Mayonnaise Collee.

Ingredients:

• 3.5 oz unflavored gelatine.

• 1 Qt. clear stock, up to 1/4 of which can be replaced with good wine late in the procedure. The wine should complement the stock: white for fish and golden chicken stock, and red for beef.

Time:

About 10 minutes plus time to cool.

To prepare:

1. Sprinkle the Gelatine over 1 cup of the Clear Stock and let soften.

2. Warm the gelatine and stock until the gelatine melts. Meanwhile, heat the remaining stock (but not the wine if you are using it).

3. Whisk the gelatine mixture into the hot stock and remove from heat.

4. As it cools to below room temperature, it will start to set up into a light, quivery jelly. If you are using wine, whisk that in now.

5. When it is well mixed, put the aspic into a tightly closed container and refrigerate until ready to use.

The chilled aspic will be pretty firm. It melts at a very low temperature, so you can scoop out what you need and leave the rest in the refrigerator.

A fish aspic is usually clear, but it may be made golden by adding saffron, the flavor of which complements most seafoods very nicely. A chicken aspic is golden in color. A beef aspic would be brown, and should include red wine.