Aspic
Description
The recipe won't take much time. If you want to make a tasty, clear aspic, be sure to soak the meat so that any remaining blood comes out. Drain the first water for a clear broth. The eggs for the swans need to be boiled longer than usual so that the white becomes firm and holds its shape well. The beaks can be made from carrot, but you'll need to attach them with toothpicks. The appetizer is ready. Serve immediately.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare all the necessary ingredients for making the aspic "Swan Lake".
- 2
Step 2
Rinse the meat well and soak it in cold water for 8 hours, changing the water twice.
- 3
Step 3
In a large pot—I used a kazan—place all the meat except the chicken. Add peeled carrots and a washed, unpeeled onion.
- 4
Step 4
Cover the meat with cold water and bring to a boil over low heat. Drain the first batch of water and rinse the meat. Cover with cold water again, add a little salt, and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 3 hours, skimming off the foam. Once you have removed all the foam, cover with a lid, leaving a small gap. Add the chicken and simmer for another two hours. Twenty minutes before the end of cooking, add the bay leaf, black pepper, and salt. Then remove the meat from the broth, add minced garlic, and let cool; strain the broth.
- 5
Step 5
Separate the meat from the bones, skin, and cartilage, and cut it into small pieces. Place the meat in a baking dish.
- 6
Step 6
Pour broth over the meat and place it in a cold place for several hours until set. After that, we will proceed to plating.
- 7
Step 7
Along one edge, form clusters of scallion greens and dill sprigs. Remove the leaves from the parsley and spread soft cheese on one side. Then roll that side in poppy seeds—the reed is ready. Arrange the reeds among the greens.
- 8
Step 8
Now we make the swans. To do this, cut off a little of the white lengthwise from two of the eggs so they stand better. Make the tail from this piece. From the whites of the remaining eggs, make the wings and the neck with the head. On the body, make a lengthwise slit from the wide end for the tail and two lengthwise slits for attaching the wings. Thread the neck with the head onto a toothpick and set it at an angle between the wings. Make the eyes from poppy seeds, and brush the tip of the head with paprika to form a beak. Place the swans on the dish and serve.
- 9
Step 9
Serve immediately or slightly chilled.