Our Favorite Aspic

This is it - the last aspic you'll see round these parts for a while.  Thatboy is a good sport, but I can only rely on his patience for so long.  I know his breaking point.

And I know to quit while I'm ahead.  So when he gobbled up this aspic declaring it his favorite, I thought it would be a good one to end on. 

With the crisp green vegetables and vinegar, this almost reminded us of a cole slaw.  Of course, that could also be the cabbage element.  It was perfect for a warm spring day - back before these spring days got cold and wet. 

Jellied Vegetable Ring (from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

1 envelope gelatin

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped cabbage

1/8 cup peeled, seeded, and cubed cucumber

1/4 cup defrosted frozen peas

1. Mix 1 cup cold water, gelatin, and sugar in a saucepan.
2. Stir over low heat until dissolved.  
3. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, and salt, and chill until as thick as an unbeaten egg white.
4. Stir in the vegetables, pour into a 4 cup bowl and chill.

Tomato Aspic take 2

I know, one look at this aspic and you're already wondering what on earth I've been smoking.  Because this aspic may very well be the least appetizing thing you've seen all day.

It's lacking the smooth glossy finish of the aspics you've come to know and love over the past week.  Instead it is one blobby mass.  It's the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree of aspics.  Or better yet - this is the Sloth of aspics.

What does that mean?  This aspic may be ugly, but it's got a lot of heart.  Heart is the secret ingredient in any good cook's repertoire.  And this homely little dish is special because it's made from scratch.  Unlike the other tomato aspics which use tomato juice or canned tomatoes, this uses fresh tomatoes I cut up myself.

It's not as instantly pleasing as yesterday's aspic.  It's simpler and more complicated at the same time and deserving of its very own post.  Because a mother loves all her children equally - even the ugly ones.

Fresh Tomato Aspic (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)s

2 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 envelope gelatin

1 tsp grated onion

1/4 cup minced celery and leaves

salt

up to 1 tsp sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Boil the tomatoes with 3/4 cup water over medium high heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
2. Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. 
3. Puree the tomatoes and then return the puree to the pan.  
4. Add the onion and celery.
5. Add salt to taste and sugar and lemon.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring briskly.
6. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin.
7. Pour into 1 qt. bowl and chill until firm.

Tomato Aspic Take 1

Meanwhile, back on the ranch...

I mentioned last week about playing around with aspics.  In the mid-20th century, one of the more popular aspics was a tomato aspic.  In fact, if you ask someone if they've ever heard of aspic, the tomato based form might be the one they're most familiar with.

I tried playing around with various tomato aspics.  I found them to be similar to gazpacho in taste - a cold tomato base.  Of the ones I tried, the most basic, made with gelatin and tomato juice, was also the least appetizing.  The one that won us over was this pretty little number, studded with vegetables.  Which perhaps makes it even more like a gazpacho.

The cool refreshing flavor makes it a nice treat for a summer day, and the vibrant red and green hue make it seem fitting for Christmas.  Even more so when you slice it open to reveal the treasures inside.

What aspic will our heroine pull from the kitchen next?

How many varieties of tomato aspic can there possibly be?
Why doesn't she just stick to jello?

Stay tuned to our next episode for the answer to these and all your other pressing questions.

Tomato Aspic with Vegetables (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

1 lb 12 oz can of tomatoes

1/2 tsp sugar

1 onion, sliced

2 bay leaves

6 basil leaves

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 envelope gelatin

1/3 cup beef broth

1 1/2 cups finely diced raw vegetables

1. Simmer the tomatoes, sugar, onion, bay leaves, basil, salt, and pepper 15 minutes.
2. Soak the gelatin in the beef broth plus 2 Tbsp water.
3. Strain the tomatoes.  Mix the gelatin into the hot liquid until thoroughly dissolved.
4. Fill the bottom 1/2 inch of a 1 quart bowl with the liquid.  Chill until just set.
5. Distribute the vegetables over the surface and add remaining liquid.  Chill until completely set.