This is a little retro oddity but to me speaks strongly of the Cordon Bleu aesthetic. It is a very lovely summer dish, a stylish lunch or entree dish and not too difficult to make.
Ingredients
| 1 packet | Gelatine, powdered |
| 1 ½ Ltr | Chicken stock |
| 30 g | Celery, and carrot, chopped |
| 10 g | Parsley, chopped |
| 2 sprigs | Tarragon, chopped |
| 1 | Leek, white only, chopped |
| 1 handful | Asparagus, tips |
| 1 | Salt & freshly ground pepper, to season |
| 4 | Eggs, whites |
| 8 | Eggs (Main) |
| 1 | Red pepper |
| 100 ml | White port |
| 10 g | Peppercorns, crushed |
Directions
- Mix together celery, carrot, leek, herbs, peppercorns and egg whites.
- Combine with the stock in a pan and slowly bring to the boil, stirring constantly but gently. When the egg whites start to solidify into a soft crust, stop stirring and simmer on a low heat for 20 mins.
- Strain through a muslin-lined sieve. Do not press the solids, just let the stock drip through. This is called clarification. It removes all the impurities from the stock resulting in a clear sparkling liquid.
- Measure out the stock. Mix the powdered gelatine as instructed on the packet to set the volume you have achieved.
- Add this to the stock with the port and season. This is your aspic ready to use. Allow to cool but not set.
- Poach the eggs, refresh in a bowl of iced water drain on paper towels and trim off the ragged edges.
- Pour a little aspic into the base of 8 ramekins.
- Decorate with asparagus tips and red pepper triangles.
- Put an egg in the centre of each mould and fill with the liquid aspic.
- Chill in the refrigerator to set. To serve, dip the ramekin into hot water and turn out on your serving plate. Decorate with some tiny crisp leaves dressed with a little vinaigrette.