Quick Aspic Food

UKRAINIAN ASPIC RECIPE (KHOLODETS)

Steps:

• Make sure you soak the pork legs in cold wate (3 hours to overnight - it's also a good way to thaw the pork)
• In a large pot, add pork legs, and chicken drum sticks. Add enough water to cover all of the meat. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, remove from heat and drain off the water. Rinse the meat, refill with fresh water (enough water to cover all of the meat, plus an extra 1/2-inch over the meat); Don't add too much water or it won't be "gelatiney" enough later. Cover and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to a light boil/simmer and set a timer for 5 hours.
• After cooking for 5 hours, Add 1 large carrot, 2 medium onions (both ends removed), 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, 5-8 peppercorns and 2 tsp salt into the pot and continue boiling on low heat 1 more hour. It should look like a nice chicken broth. Now it's important that you do not discard the broth and do not add more water to the pot!
• Remove the drumsticks and carrot from the broth and let them cool. Discard pork legs, onion and bay leaves. Use a fine mesh sieve with 3 bounty paper towels over the sieve and filter the broth through the paper towels. You will be left with a clean broth.
• Peel and press 4 garlic cloves into the broth and do a taste test to see if more salt is needed.
• Once the meat has cooled, use a fork to separate meat from the bones. Keep the good meat; discard the bones. Thinly slice the carrot. You can make one big holodets in a rectangular pyrex dish or you can make smaller serving bowls.
• Start by placing carrots on the bottom and top with some dill if you wish. Next add the meat in an even layer and pour broth over the meat; enough to cover the meat and a little extra over the top. Refrigerate 3 hours to overnight, or until firm. Serve with red horseradish/hren (recipe on NatashasKitchen.com) or Russian mustard. Once it's set, set the bowl in hot water for a few seconds, then use a slim spatula to release the gelatin from the dish. Or you can just serve it out of the dish and save yourself a step.

KHOLODETS - ASPIC RECIPE

Steps:

• 1st boil: To a large 8 qt pot add 2 pigs feet, 1 rear hock, 2 lbs pork loin, 2 lbs of boneless beef chuck, and add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes. Next, remove the meat to a clean bowl. Discard the cooking liquid and wash the pot clean.
• 2nd boil: Add all the meat back to the pot, cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 hours. All throughout cooking constantly skim the top from impurities with a slotted spoon. Do not cover with a lid.Tip: Preventing rapid boil and keeping the lid off while simmering will ensure that the broth comes out clear and not cloudy.
• Keep an eye on the water level and add more if needed to keep the meat submerged at all times. If needed add a smaller sized lid or dinner plate to the top of the meat to weigh the meat down and under the water.
• Add aromatics: Now add 2 onions, 2 carrots, 3 stalks celery, 15 black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, and 1 Tbsp of salt to the stock. Continue simmering for 1 more hour.
• Remove solids: Remove all meat chunks from the broth to a large bowl and leave to cool to room temp. Remove and discard the remaining vegetables (onions, carrots, and bay leaves).
• Lastly, add 6-8 cloves of minced garlic and 1 bunch of parsley to the broth and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust the salt amount without disturbing the broth too much as not to break any remaining impurities.
• Once the meat has cooled, discard the pig's feet, any bones, fat, or skin. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces and add to a 9"x12" baking dish in an even layer. To make the meat aspic in individual portions, portion the meat between deep soup bowls or other small, but deep containers.Cover & refrigerate until ready for next step.
• While the meat is cooling drain and cool the broth: set a sieve lined with 2-3 layers of paper towels over a large pot. Carefully drain the broth to remove any solids, fat, or impurities. Change the paper towels as the broth stops flowing through - the fat creates a barrier and prevents the liquid from going through. To get an absolutely fat-free broth, you might need to drain the broth through paper towels several times. Any fat left in the broth will cover the aspic in white patches as it solidifies if not removed at this stage. For best results, cool the broth to room temperature before using it in the next steps. Otherwise pouring hot broth over the meat will melt the fat in the meat and make it float to the top.Tip: The quickest way to cool the broth is to set the pot with the hot broth into a sink full of cold/icy water and stir it every so often until the broth cools.
• Add half the broth to the meat: pour half of the cooled to room temperature broth over the meat. Skim any fat that floats to the top with a spoon. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes to slightly set. This will prevent the meat from floating to the top as you pour the other half of the broth. Keep the other half of the broth mixture at room temperature as the first half sets in the fridge.
• Add the remainder of the broth: Once lightly set, remove the kholodets from the fridge and pour the remaining half of the broth over the top covering the meat completely. Add leaves of parsley for garnish if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely set, about 4-5 hours or overnight.
• Once set, cut into 2x2 squares and serve alongside some beet & horseradish relish.
• Combine 1 large cooked and finely grated beet with 2 1/2 Tbsp vinegar, 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar and 1 1/4 tsp salt. Lastly, add 1/2 of the horseradish sauce (3 Tbsp) and stir everything to combine. Taste and continue adding the remainder of the horseradish sauce, a little at a time until desired spiciness level is reached. Keep in mind that as the relish sits in the fridge it will lose some of the spiciness.

TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• Fully dissolve gelatin in boiling water in a mixing bowl.
• Combine vegetable juice, worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and cloves in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf and cloves.
• Stir onion and celery into vegetable juice.
• Pour vegetable juice mixture over dissolved gelatin; stir gently to blend.
• Refrigerate until set completely, about 1 hour.

QUICK TOMATO ASPIC SALAD

Steps:

• Heat 1 cup tomato juice to boiling. Add to gelatin and dissolve. Add remaining tomato juice. Chill until mixture starts to congeal. Add remaining ingredients. Chill overnight.

QUICK TOMATO ASPIC-WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• 1. I made this with whole cooked shrimp, but next time I will cut each into about three pieces. I only used celery and green olives; and no basil.
• 2. Since I wanted it to be my lunch, I used three cereal bowls for molding, and there was about a cup left over in another container. So it makes plenty!
• 3. The cold shrimp helped it set up fast. I actually left it overnight in the refrigerator. Unmold on crisp lettuce and serve with mayo and whipped cream.

QUICK ASPIC

Steps:

• Heat the broth and wine to boiling point. Add the dissolved gelatin. Stir until melted. Cool.
• Coat and garnish Turkey en Chaudfroid .

CHICKEN ASPIC

Steps:

• Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine consomme and gelatin. Let stand until gelatin is soft, about 10 minutes. Place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 30 seconds. Transfer to ice bath; and let stand, stirring occasionally, until room temperature.

QUICK AND EASY TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup V-8 juice to a boil and pour over gelatin. Stir to dissolve. Add 1 cup cold V-8, onion salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Add celery and pepper, if desired. Pour into mold. Refrigerate until firm.