Calf's Feet for Aspic
Have the butcher split the feet. Wash them well, put them in a kettle, add salted water to cover and bring the water to a boil. Cook the bones for about 5 minutes, until the scum stops coming to the top. Rinse the bones well and add them to the soup kettle.
Chicken Feet for Aspic
Chop off the nails and discard them. Wash the feet and put them in a kettle with salted water to cover. Bring the water to a boil. When the skin loosens, plunge the feet into cold water, remove the skins and discard them. Add the cleaned feet to the soup kettle.
It is a sensible precaution to test aspic to make sure that it will have the proper stiffness. Chill a little of the aspic in the refrigerator; if it dots not stiffen. it may be reduced further or it may be stiffened with gelatin. Use 1 envelope gelatin, softened in ¼ cup cold water. to jell 1 quart stock that has congealed lightly, but is not stiff enough.
Aspic has four uses: it is used to bind other ingredients or to line a mold into which other ingredients are to he packed; it is cut into dice or chopped or rubbed through a coarse sieve and used for garnishing, and, of course, it is used to coat conked meats, poultry, or fish.
To achieve the best results in handling aspics, have all ingredients and utensils very cold. To line a mold, bank it with crushed ice. When the cold aspic is swirled around the inside of the mold, it will congeal almost immediately. To make a thicker Coating, add another layer of aspic. Decorations should be affixed between layers of aspic.
A piece of meat, fish, or poultry that is to be coated with aspic should be so thoroughly chilled that the aspic begins to set as soon as it touches the surface. The aspic should still be liquid, but it should be on the verge of congealing.
As a final precaution, keep the finished aspic in the refrigerator until the last possible moment before serving. If the part)' is a large one. use two small serving dishes, rather than one large one, for each aspic preparation, so that the second serving can be kept cold in the refrigerator.
Aspic
Put in a large kettle 3 pounds each of beef bones and veal shin bones. 6 calf's feet (above), 3 carrots, 3 onions and 3 leeks, all sliced, 1 stalk celery, 2 tablespoons salt and 2 gallons water. Bring the liquid to a boil, skim it and boil gently about 5 hours, skimming as needed. Strain the stock, cool it and remove the fat from the surface. Clarify as fallows: Beat slightly 4 egg whites, mix them with 1 pound lean chopped beef and add the mixture to the cold broth. Add 12 peppercorns, 1 tablespoon salt, 4 sprigs each of tarragon and chervil, 6 sprigs of parsley and 1 bay leaf. Heat slowly, stirring constantly just until the boiling point is reached, and simmer the Stock very gently for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through fine muslin and add 1 glass (4 ounces) Sherry or Madeira. If calf's feet were not available, add to the hot strained broth 2 tablespoons gelatin softened in ½ cup cold water. Chill the aspic. If it does not congeal, reheat it and add more gelatin. When ready to use, melt the aspic by reheating.
Chicken Aspic
To the above recipe for aspic, add a fowl and some cleaned and skinned chicken feet.
Mayonnaise Cbaud-Froid (Jellied Mayonnaise)
Soften 2 tablespoons gelatin in ½ cup cold water and dissolve it over hot water. Fold the gelatin into 2 cups mayonnaise (May, 1956) and mix all together well.
Chaud-Froid Blanc (Jellied While Sauce)
Soften 2 tablespoons gelatin in ½ cup cold water. Bring 2 cups sauce veluté or sauce suprême (both September, 1955) to a boil and dissolve the gelatin in the sauce. Add 1 cup heavy cream and correct the seasoning with Salt. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve. Just before it congeals use the sauce to coal cold chicken, eggs and other foods suited to a white sauce.
Cbaud-Froid Brun (Jellied Brown Sauce)
Soften 2 tablespoons gelatin in ½ cup cold water. Combine 2 cups brown sauce (October, 1955) with 1 cup stock or consomme, bring the sauce to a boil and skim it well. Dissolve the gelatin in the sauce. Add I glass (3 ounces) Madeira or Sherry and strain the sauce through a fine sieve. Just before it congeals use the sauce to coat cod braised beef, duckling, and similar foods.
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