Virgin Mary Aspic Recipes

VIRGIN MARY

Steps:

• Cut the celery into large dice and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the horseradish, shallot, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, celery salt, and kosher salt, and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher, add the tomato juice, and stir.
• Pour into glasses and serve with the top half of a celery stalk including leaves.

BLOODY MARY ASPIC

Steps:

• Cook shallots and celery in olive oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add puréed tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seeds and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes. Pour tomato mixture through a sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth into a clean 3-quart saucepan, pressing hard on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Bring tomato broth just to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce.
• While tomato broth comes to a boil, stir together lemon juice and vodka in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over vodka mixture. (Spoon vodka mixture over any powdered gelatin remaining on top.) Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Lightly oil a 1 1/2- to 2-quart nonreactive shallow baking pan (2 inches deep).
• Add gelatin mixture to hot tomato broth, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Pour into baking pan and chill, uncovered, until firm, at least 6 hours.
• To unmold aspic, run a small sharp knife around edge, then dip baking pan into a larger pan of warm water, 15 to 20 seconds. Put a cutting board over baking pan, then carefully invert aspic onto board and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

SHRIMP IN ASPIC WITH SAUCE VIERGE

Steps:

• Soften gelatin in wine. Heat stock to boil; remove from heat and stir in gelatin to dissolve completely.
• Heat 3 cups clam juice to boiling; add shrimp; reduce heat and poach one minute. Cool shrimp in the liquid.
• Sprinkle each of eight 1/2-cup molds with 1 teaspoon chives. Arrange three shrimp in each mold over the chives. Fill molds with aspic and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
• To serve, unmold on cold plates and pass warm Sauce Vierge.