around the world in five days: france

oeufs en gelée

notes from maggie's farm

When I was a little girl, my mother loved to serve Tomato Aspic.  It was one of those dishes a little girl loved to hate.  It moved.  It was cold.  It just wasn't right.

Funny how things come back around.  We're going to give aspic a second chance, starting with this french food classic from Saveur --

Eggs in Aspic (Oeufs en Gelée)

In this classic French dish, typically served as a first course, gelatin is used to encase poached eggs in a delicate consommé.

1 1⁄2 cups chicken broth

2 tsp. peppercorns, crushed

6 sprigs parsley, chopped

3 sprigs tarragon, chopped

3 egg whites

1⁄2 leek or small onion, chopped 

1⁄2 rib celery, chopped 

1⁄2 small carrot, chopped  

3 tbsp. port

1 1⁄2 tbsp. unflavored powdered gelatin,  softened in 1⁄2 cup cold water

Kosher salt, to taste

Canola oil, for greasing

3 bell peppers, cored, seeded,  and cut into small 1⁄2" diamonds

4 eggs, poached and chilled

Baby greens, for garnish

1. Combine broth, peppercorns, herbs, egg whites, leeks, celery, and carrots in a 1-qt. saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until egg whites start to solidify into a soft crust, 5–10 minutes. Stop stirring; simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Set a sieve over a bowl; line sieve with a coffee filter. Strain broth without pressing the solids; discard solids. Add port and gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve; season with salt. Refrigerate aspic until cooled but not set. 

2. Grease four 4-oz. oval aspic molds. Spoon about 2 tsp. of aspic into each mold. Chill until almost set, 8–10 minutes. Arrange 6 pepper diamonds, skin side up, in each mold on the aspic; top with 1 tbsp. aspic. Chill until set. Transfer eggs to paper towels; trim away ragged edges of whites. Put an egg inside each mold; cover eggs by 1⁄4" with remaining aspic. Chill until completely set, about 2 hours. 


3. To serve, slide a knife along edge of molds; set in a bowl of hot water for 5 seconds. Invert aspic onto plates; garnish with greens. 


SERVES 4

Photo: Michael Kraus, courtesy of Saveur.com