Homemade Chicken Aspic
Description
A delicious appetizer for any gathering. This dish is simply irresistible—you only need to try it once to be convinced. Of course, for kholodets you can use a regular store-bought broiler chicken, but with a home-raised hen the broth will turn out rich and flavorful. For lovers of golden broth, I recommend adding onion skins to the pot; you can also add a bouillon cube. Herbs are also a very important part of making kholodets. Choose your herbs carefully; let your imagination run free. Decoration is my favorite part. You can experiment—for example, add pepper or peas. Remember: the brighter the kholodets turns out, the more pleasant it will be to eat. I do not add gelatin to the aspic, because in this recipe, in my opinion, it is not needed. The broth is already elastic enough and sets very well on its own. I will share all my secrets with you. Serve the appetizer at the table.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the chicken. If needed, thaw it. Check that it has been plucked thoroughly. Gut the chicken and cut off the tail and neck (I don't like them, but if you do, leave them on). The chicken should be cut into pieces. How you break it down is entirely up to you. You can cut it in half, into quarters, or into small pieces. It doesn't matter, because once cooked, the chicken will need to be shredded or cut into small pieces.
- 2
Step 2
Put the broth on to cook. Put the chicken and seasonings in the water; I used coriander, peppercorns, salt, and basil. Simmer the broth over low heat (for a clear broth, keep the heat low) for about 4 hours. During that time, peel the carrots and onions, wash the root vegetables, and cut them into pieces. Add the vegetables to the broth and cook for another 40 minutes or so. When the broth is almost done, add the garlic and bay leaf. Cover the broth and let it rest for another 20 minutes.
- 3
Step 3
Remove the chicken from the broth and cut it into small pieces. You can do this with a fork or a knife; the pieces should not be too small, like purée. I carefully remove cartilage, skin, and other by-products from the chicken, but if you like your aspic to have a crunch, leave them in. Arrange the chicken on the bottom of a large plate, which will serve as the mold for the aspic. Once the chicken is in place, slice the garlic into rounds and cut the carrots into star shapes.
- 4
Step 4
Boil the eggs hard. Place the eggs in salted water and cook them for about 10–13 minutes. When the eggs are done, cool them, peel off the shells, and cut them into nice shapes. Arrange the eggs on the meat, then top with boiled carrot, parsley, and garlic. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve so pieces of onion and carrot do not get into it. Pour the broth into the mold without stirring it. After the broth has cooled completely, put the mold in the refrigerator until it is fully set. Done!