Beef Aspic
Description
The appetizer comes together quickly and simply. Beef is a healthy meat. I try to make every dish with it a masterpiece. For this aspic, I chose pretty molds so I could serve it in portions. We also added a few ingredients of our own to the recipe. For example, berries appeared—sour ones are best, lingonberries or currants. They pair wonderfully with the sharp taste of the mustard and horseradish served with the aspic. So let’s get cooking. Beef aspic doesn’t take much effort, but you do need to set aside time—mostly for waiting, since the aspic needs to set well. 1. We’ll start by boiling the beef. Cook it right away in two liters of broth. That kills two birds with one stone—you get both broth and meat. Beef takes about an hour and a half to cook. When it’s done, a fork pierces it easily. 2. Don’t rush to prep the other ingredients. You can work on other dishes in the meantime. About half an hour before the beef is done, come back to the aspic. Boil the eggs until hard-boiled. Cool them in cold water. 3. The carrots need to be boiled too. To cook them faster, you can cut them into small pieces. 4. Peel the boiled eggs and cut them into quarters. 5. Wash the bell pepper, remove the seeds, and slice it into rings and half-rings. 6. You can use any fresh herbs; what matters is that they’re sprigs—it looks much prettier and more appetizing that way on beef aspic. 7. Cut the boiled carrots into small pieces. 8. Remove the beef from the broth and cut it into pieces. 9. Pour a glass of broth over the gelatin and heat over the flame until fully dissolved. 10. Arrange all the ingredients in molds or one large mold. Lay them out thoughtfully so you get a pattern. Don’t forget the green peas and berries. It’s best to put the herb sprigs on top. 11. Pour part of the broth over everything and put it in the refrigerator. As soon as the aspic sets, add the remaining broth. 12. Beef aspic needs at least an hour and a half to set. It’s better not to take it out sooner. Ideally, let it sit overnight. Happy holidays! You can serve it warm or chilled.