Salmon-Tomato Aspic
My grandmother would whip this out for VERY special occasions. Now I make this all the time and as we head into the holiday season this is an easy way to impress guests. You can make it for an intimate dinner for two or for a large gathering.
Salmon-Tomato Aspic
Ingredients
- 32 ounces of canned chopped tomatoes in their own juices
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 12 peppercorns
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 envelopes of unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1/2 cup warm fish, shellfish or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless poached salmon, flaked
- Minced chives or tarragon
- 6 hard-boiled eggs
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, combine the tomatoes with their juices with the onion, lemon, sugar, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaf and salt. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Boil gently for 20 minutes and strain the tomatoes through a fine mesh sieve set into a work bowl.
To the bowl, add white vinegar. Dissolve unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup warm fish, shellfish or chicken broth and add it to the bowl. I love using leftover mussel or clam juice for this as well.
Add cold poached flaked salmon… I like to add minced chives at this point or other herbs like tarragon. I also will make this with 1 pound of cold poached salmon and 1/2 pound of other seafood, such as squid, sea urchin, clams, mussels, crab or lobster.
Line a festive ring mold with sliced hard-boiled eggs, and artfully sliced olives.
Pour in the tomato mixture and refrigerate overnight. Serve, sliced, with lemons or lemon mayo at the table.
I also make these in individual 4 or 5-ounce bowls and unmold them onto small plates with a spoonful of herby-lemony sauce verte along with it.
