Aspics

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Many years ago, I attended a function where the Lady-of the House made a tomato aspic, with perfectly cooked salad shrimp, molded and placed on an attractive platter, and served with simple crackers and toast points. I found it beautiful, intriguing, and delicious. It made such an impression on me that I remembered it for 20 years before I decided to make it myself. This brings me to my current train of thought, an elegant, molded seafood aspic with crackers as a side for Thanksgiving, or other holidays.

What I am thinking is that one could gently poach clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, and crab, then mine them all up after removing them from the poaching liquid. Add unflavored gelatin to the resultant liquid, reintroduce the seafood meat, and chill in a nice mold. Unmold on a nice platter, maybe with some golden whitefish caviar surrounding the aspic, with crackers.


Does anyone else think this would be a great side-dish? And, would you add something like Old Bay seasoning to the aspic, or maybe put a bowl of horseradish, or wasabi paste out with it? Let me know what you think.

Oh, an even crazier idea:
Seafood panacotta with spicy tomato-cocktail sauce on top., served up in stemmed wine glasses.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[dragnlaw]

hmmm.... gotta think on that one.

the aspic, maybe yes, although I personally would not make it, I would certainly taste it were it presented to me.

the panacotta does not appeal to me at all.

 

[pepperhead212]

Some of my oldest cookbooks (early 70s and 60s) have many aspic recipes, so they were were very popular, back then, before I got into cooking, though they had gone out of favor by the mid 70s. Sounded good, since I've always liked chilled dishes in the summer. Years later, I found something similar, when I started frequenting Asian markets - Agar. Seemed strange, since the only place I had ever used agar was in petri dishes! lol It is a derivative of seaweed, thus it can be used by vegetarians in place of gelatin. It sets at room temperature, unlike gelatin, so it is used for a lot of sweets in Japan and SE Asia, but it can also be used in place of gelatin in chilled dishes, for the seafood and other refrigerated foods. The only minor problem is that it requires a longer boiling time to dissolve it than gelatin.

 

[msmofet]

Mom did Tupperware parties in the 60's. Her big sellers were the molds.

 

[Kayelle]

My Mom's secret to her molded Aspics was Snap E Tom, instead of tomato juice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63J-r2ZWtTM

 

[dragnlaw]

Amazon.ca - Agar, 1 lb. $55.00

 

[Just Cooking]

My Mom's secret to her molded Aspics was Snap E Tom, instead of tomato juice.

Off topic...

Always used this for the best Bloody Mary's, back in the day..

Ross

 

[medtran49]

Amazon.ca - Agar, 1 lb. $55.00

That's a LOT of agar-agar, would last a home cook a LONG time. You can get smaller quantities, look under molecular gastronomy supplies. I've seen it too in larger Asian markets.

I wouldn't use Old Bay as it never seems to fully dissolve when I use it, besides the fact that even a little bit is a huge hit of flavor. I'd look at some recipes for seafood aspic and come up with a homemade seasoning personally.

As to wasabi or horseradish, or even a bloody Mary type addition, you could always do a 2 layer like the old jello salads where the top would be clear and then they'd make a bottom layer with cool whip or mayo or sour cream.

Make up a small trial run and see what tweaks need to be made.

Ooh, you could do a clear layer with the seafood, a red layer with bloody Mary flavors, and a thin green layer with wasabi.

 

[CWS4322]

I have a lovely salmon mousse recipe (that is similar to aspic, except it has mayo added). I used to make a tomato aspic back in the day with shrimp...last time I made that was a few years ago and I made it vegan with agar-agar and no shrimp. I got both recipes from a Chef in Quebec (I think along the Gaspe Peninsula, but can't recall...). For years, I used to make the tomato one for Christmas Eve and the salmon for New Year's.

 

[dragnlaw]

Flash back... guess what I made today.
Would you believe? It was because I needed that partucular size of can..

 

[RCJoe]

This sure brings back some early childhood memories of church suppers, quilting circle meetings etc when my Grandmother was babysitting me and took me along with her to those functions. The old ladies (early 1950's) were fine artist with gelatin and had all manners of molds. But they could make magic with just a bread pan loaded with sliced lunch meat and sliced cheese as an aspic loaf. (often with other things added) Sliced up and served on bread made a delicious sandwich. By that time people had had 50 years to play with gelatin as it was in a dry powdered form. I have handed down to me numerous tupperware molds. Jello molds that look like eggs and a bunch of copper (in looks) molds.

But presentation, I think, is much of the making of aspic dishes. Just a plain block of aspic salad may not look too appealing.

I agree with horseradish in any number of forms to accompany seafood dishes. And there are some very good ideas offered here.

Since you are working with seafood I would consider some lemon flavored jello to pick up some citrus, and perhaps some olives in various forms. Today there are many stuffings in them besides pimentos. Even black olives cold be stuffed with small pieces of cheese that would go well with your seafood selections. Large Curd Cottage Cheese could even be rinsed and lightly tinted with food coloring to mix into the aspic just for visual variety,

One thing I remember from those times was that there were always people who would use their fork to tear away the gelatin from the food items as they just didn't like gelatin. But I think if the gelatin is savory enough or fruity enough the majority of people will like it. Good Luck !

 

[RCJoe]

From the "Golden Age of Aspics"

I've purchased numerous molds in yard sales and Goodwill stores etc. Some have small tabs with a ring on the side so the mold can hang from the wall as kitchen decoration. (and so the expensive hand made molds wouldn't be damaged in storage)

But if you ever wonder what all the hubbub about aspic molded foods is all about, before the late 1800's when gelatin was commercially produced so it could be packaged and stored, only the very wealthiest could afford cooks/chef's to create gelatin the old way and set their tables with such delights.

 

[dragnlaw]

Why Thank You RCJoe, I did not realize that history.
I did have several of those molds including that fish one! Wish I still had them now of course.

 

[RCJoe]

Yes, before the mid 1890's to have gelatin dishes on your table your name would have had to been Astor, Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, J P Morgan, and some of those. Or, you would would have had to know how to make it for yourself from scratch. (not to mention having time and several family embers to engage in the project with you)

By the 1840's gelatin was available in dried leaves or sheets which had to be placed on warm water and "bloomed". But in that era people had time or chose to take time to make fantastic creations.

Knox first developed the process of granulating it and later P. B. Wait introduced it as a flavored & colored dessert that we know today as Jello.

Today you can pick up 4 one cup pre made fruit jello desserts at the store for a buck, throw then in the fridge for awhile, and peel the foil lid off the container to eat and enjoy.

Viola ! A whole culinary era rendered into a convenience food.

 

[dragnlaw]

Yes, before the mid 1890's to have gelatin dishes on your table your name would have had to been Astor, Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, J P Morgan, and some of those. Or, you would would have had to know how to make it for yourself from scratch. (not to mention having time and several family embers to engage in the project with you)

By the 1840's gelatin was available in dried leaves or sheets which had to be placed on warm water and "bloomed". But in that era people had time or chose to take time to make fantastic creations.

Knox first developed the process of granulating it and later P. B. Wait introduced it as a flavored & colored dessert that we know today as Jello.

Today you can pick up 4 one cup pre made fruit jello desserts at the store for a buck, throw then in the fridge for awhile, and peel the foil lid off the container to eat and enjoy.

Viola ! A whole culinary era rendered into a convenience food.

1. I'm pretty sure they all knew how, especially country people, warn't too much wasted when the cow and pig were dispatched.
2. Well, as the women weren't really welcomed in the work force other than the kitchen and the upstairs bedrooms. It was more labour that was available. Remember, personal taxes had not come about yet. Even 'middle' class families had a maid/servant or a cook.
3. I can't say I've seen them for a buck, that could be just where I live but I have seen the powder packages for $.59. Add a little hot water, stir and you have 4 servings for approx $.15 each. I do it all the time and have a choice of sugar free and/or fruit added.

I think I mentioned this on another thread somewhere but one of my favourite Jell-o salads was with Lime Jell-o mixed with cottage cheese. Love that stuff! Rarely make it - my kids think it's disgusting - harumph...

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

1. I'm pretty sure they all knew how, especially country people, warn't too much wasted when the cow and pig were dispatched.
2. Well, as the women weren't really welcomed in the work force other than the kitchen and the upstairs bedrooms. It was more labour that was available. Remember, personal taxes had not come about yet. Even 'middle' class families had a maid/servant or a cook.
3. I can't say I've seen them for a buck, that could be just where I live but I have seen the powder packages for $.59. Add a little hot water, stir and you have 4 servings for approx $.15 each. I do it all the time and have a choice of sugar free and/or fruit added.

I think I mentioned this on another thread somewhere but one of my favourite Jell-o salads was with Lime Jell-o mixed with cottage cheese. Love that stuff! Rarely make it - my kids think it's disgusting - harumph...

At my in-laws, that lime jello desert as served at every Thanksgiving, but with the addition of canned, crushed pineapple. My Mom made a ring molded lime gelatin desert she called SeaBreeze salad. It is still a favorite for all of my sisters, and my children. It is truly worth making. Sooooo good. Here;s that recipe - Grandma Cartwright’s Sea Breeze Salad
Ingredients:
• 2 boxes lime Jello
• 1.5 cups hot water
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 3 oz pkg. cream cheese
• 4 ice cubes
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• ½ cup walnut pieces
• 1/8 tsp. Salt
Bring the water to a boil. Add the lime gelatin and stir for 3 minutes to completely dissolve it. Stir in the ice cubes until completely melted. Add all of the remaining ingredients, except for the pineapple, and walnut pieces, into a blender and puree until smooth. Add the pineapple and walnut to the mix and pour into a gelatin mold. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

I'm the guy who browns ground beef with a lid on it, then pours off the liquid into a bowl. I then refrigerate it. The flat floats to the top and is easily removed, leaving me with an intensely beefy gelatin that I use to fortify soups, or pour over strips of meats and seasonings laid out in a oaf pan. Pour the gelled broth over top and bake to make a wonderful terrine, or Pate that can then be chilled and sliced for hot, or cold sandwiches.

I sometimes do that with poultry, carcasses with all of the bones ans skin, again pouring it off to make a gelatin. Any meat with collagen will work. When you get enough gelled broth, you can use it to make aspics, terrines, fortify soups, etc.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[dragnlaw]

Ingredients:
• 2 boxes lime Jello
• 1.5 cups hot water
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 3 oz pkg. cream cheese
• 4 ice cubes
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• ½ cup walnut pieces
• 1/8 tsp. Salt
Bring the water to a boil. Add the lime gelatin and stir for 3 minutes to completely dissolve it. Stir in the ice cubes until completely melted. Add all of the remaining ingredients, except for the pineapple, and walnut pieces, into a blender and puree until smooth. Add the pineapple and walnut to the mix and pour into a gelatin mold. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

I sometimes do that with poultry, carcasses with all of the bones ans skin, again pouring it off to make a gelatin. Any meat with collagen will work. When you get enough gelled broth, you can use it to make aspics, terrines, fortify soups, etc.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

You don't mention when to add your cream cheese. Oops, OK, just reread your instructions- blender, got it.

Yes, I remember having it with pineapple bits too and sometimes walnuts. But ours was always made with Cottage Cheese (if really wet drain in a collander first).

Yes, I sometimes save the gel from making chicken stock, use it for gravies, etc. Have never used it for terrines, pate's as I don't make them. But will remember for next time and maybe use it should I ever make another aspic.
I only made the aspic this time as I said... I needed the specific shaped can for another project! LOL - go figure. Still have a glass of tomato juice leftover in the fridge. Might have dig out some Vodka from the booze chest.

I'm still going to make those soup dumplings one day and hope to use my own chicken gel to do so. Just haven't gotten to it yet - late fall ? early winter?

 

[taxlady]

Aspic is one of the tradtional garnishes on Danish smørrebrød (open faced sandwiches). The one that occurs naturally in stock making or roasting meat is considered more traditional and "finer". Nowadays it it often made with stock or a bullion cube and water and stiffened with a gelatin sheet.

In this picture you can see cut, rectangular pieces of aspic on three smørrebrød from the top left diagonally to the bottom right.

 

[dragnlaw]

OMy! those look so yummy - saving that pic for my next appy plate. I may even try the aspic slices - they look really good! thanks taxy!
It's funny you can't see the bread under!

I learned about open-face sandwiches from the Swedish translation - Smorgas(sandwich) + brod(bread). I also hear many people refer to it as Smorgasboard - just a mispronunciation and even tho I know better I sometimes hear myself say it too.

 

[taxlady]

OMy! those look so yummy - saving that pic for my next appy plate. I may even try the aspic slices - they look really good! thanks taxy!
It's funny you can't see the bread under!

I learned about open-face sandwiches from the Swedish translation - Smorgas(sandwich) + brod(bread). I also hear many people refer to it as Smorgasboard - just a mispronunciation and even tho I know better I sometimes hear myself say it too.

If you have some slightly softer aspic from making stock or a roast, it looks really pretty piled onto the sandwich. And yeah, for a party, the bread isn't supposed to show.
Actually "smorgasboard" is a mispronunciation of "smörgåsbord", which means a sandwich table (board/plank). The Danish version of that is "smørrebrødsbord". To a Scandinavian, a sandwich table is an assortment of sandwiches.