Ham Aspic
Description
A tasty appetizer for any gathering. Jellied dishes in such variety are made only here, in Russia. Aspic makes a wonderful appetizer—it can be decorated creatively, poured into molds, made small or large—the sky’s the limit with no restrictions. The main thing is to choose your own recipe and go for it. I prefer aspic with ham: simple and delicious. We’ll start making it by choosing fresh herbs. This can be parsley, dill, celery leaves, or cilantro. All together or separately. Also add green peas. 1. First, prepare the gelatin. Pour a glass of broth over all the gelatin and let it stand for thirty minutes. 2. Then prepare the other ingredients. Cut the ham into pieces. 3. Chop the fresh herbs. Mix them if you’re using different kinds. 4. Put the green peas on a plate and drain off the excess liquid. 5. Peel the garlic and chop it very finely. 6. Prepare the dish(es) for the aspic. This can be one large salad bowl or several small ones. 7. Layer the green peas, garlic, fresh herbs, and ham on the bottom. 8. Now back to the gelatin. Heat it until fully dissolved and remove from the heat. 9. Pour the dissolved gelatin into the remaining broth. 10. Season well with salt, stir, and strain. 11. Let the broth cool. Then pour it over the filling, reserving a little broth. 12. Put the nearly finished ham aspic in the refrigerator. As soon as the aspic has set slightly, pour in the remaining broth and return to the refrigerator. The aspic should stay in the refrigerator for at least an hour. But it’s best to leave ham aspic in the refrigerator overnight. Serve at the table with mustard or horseradish.