Tomato Basil Aspic Recipes

FRESH-FROM-THE-GARDEN TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• Boil all the ingredients - except the gelatin, water, grated carrot, pepper and celery - with the spices tied in a muslin bag, for 30 minutes. Remove the bag of spices, and whirl the tomato mixture (there should be about 1 quart) in a blender until smooth. Soak the gelatin in the cold water, then dissolve it in a cupful of the tomato blend, heated to boiling. Add this and the grated vegetables to the remaining tomato mixture. If time is short, you may mince the carrot, green pepper and celery in the food grinder. Turn into a 2-quart mold rinsed with cold water, and set to chill. Serve the tomato aspic as an accompaniment to cold cuts, herring snacks or sardines. Or, mold it in a ring and fill the center with ham, chicken, lobster or crab meat salad.

TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• Core tomatoes; coarsely chop.Working in batches, transfer to a food processor or food mill. Process to a rough puree.
• Rinse two 24-inch square pieces of cheesecloth.Wring out cheesecloth; layer pieces in a large glass bowl. Pour puree into cheesecloth; gather up ends, and cinch with kitchen twine. Tie ends of cloth together to make a loop. Hang sack from a cupboard door, placing bowl directly underneath to collect juices.
• Let drain at least 1 hour; liquid will be pale. Transfer it to a large glass measuring cup, and set aside.
• Squeeze bundle over emptied bowl to extract remaining liquid; pour into another measuring cup. You should have about 4 cups dark-red tomato juice; if needed, add enough reserved pale liquid to make 4 cups. Pass juice through a fine sieve into a bowl. Discard pale liquid.
• Place 1 cup tomato juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid; let soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan; stir over very low heat until gelatin dissolves. Stir in some of the juice to lower the temperature of the gelatin mixture, then add remaining juice and salt.
• Pour mixture into a 9-by-4 3/4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until jelled, at least 1 hour. To unmold: Slide a knife around inside edge of pan.Wrap loaf pan in a hot towel, and invert onto a serving platter. Garnish with basil sprigs.

ASPIC OF TOMATO, WINE AND BASIL

Steps:

• Combine tomato puree, lemon juice and one cup of the wine. Soften the gelatin in the water in a metal measuring cup, place the cup in a shallow pan of water and bring to a simmer. Cook gently until the gelatin dissolves. Mix the gelatin with the remaining wine in a small saucepan.
• Heat the gelatin and wine mixture gently just until the gelatin is completely incorporated. Stir into the tomato mixture, add the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour into a mold or loaf pan and refrigerate until set. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO TERRINE

Steps:

• Make vegetable broth:
• Core tomatoes and cut a shallow X in bottom of each, then blanch tomatoes in boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking.
• Peel tomatoes using tip of a small paring knife, reserving skins. With tomatoes standing on stem ends, cut off outer layer of flesh (follow curve of tomato) from each side, leaving seedy interior and reserving flesh and interior (with juices) separately.
• Make gelatin mixture:
• Very lightly oil terrine, then line long sides and bottom with a sheet of plastic wrap, smoothing any wrinkles and allowing at least 2 inches of overhang on each side.
• Whisk gelatin into cooled 1/2 cup broth and let stand 5 minutes for gelatin to soften. Add to hot broth, stirring until gelatin has dissolved. Put gelatin mixture in a metal bowl and quick-chill by setting bowl in an ice bath and stirring occasionally until cool.
• Stir herbs into cooled gelatin mixture and continue to stir (in ice bath) until it has a syrupy consistency.
• Assemble terrine:
• Pour enough gelatin mixture into terrine to come 1/4 inch up sides. Put terrine in freezer 10 minutes to set gelatin.
• Completely cover set gelatin with a layer of tomato, rounded sides down. Pour a little of cooled (but not set) gelatin mixture over tomatoes to just cover them. Continue layering tomatoes and gelatin mixture. (Work quickly to keep gelatin mixture from setting; if it begins to set, remelt over barely simmering water, then quick-chill in ice bath, stirring gently, until syrupy.) Pour a final layer of gelatin mixture over top, letting it seep into spaces between tomatoes (make sure gelatin mixture covers tomatoes).
• Pour any remaining gelatin mixture into a shallow bowl and chill separately. Gently push down on surface of terrine to make sure there aren't any air pockets, then chill in refrigerator, covered, at least 8 hours.
• Run a thin knife along short sides (ends) of terrine, then invert onto a cutting board or a platter, gently pulling on plastic overhang to help unmold (discard plastic wrap). Carefully slice terrine with an electric knife or a very sharp thin knife, using a metal spatula to hold outside of each slice steady and transferring each slice to a plate. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Chop extra gelatin (from bowl) and serve on the side.

FABIO'S TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• 1. Split the tomatoes in half and squeeze the halves into a sieve over a small bowl to remove juice and seeds. Press the mixture in the sieve and reserve the liquid and the pulp.
• 2. Puree the tomatoes in a food processor and pass through a food mill or strainer to remove the skins. (Or peel, seed, juice, and process tomatoes until smooth if you don't have a food mill.) Add the reserved juice to the pulp and measure 2 1/4 cups of tomato.
• 3. Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup tomato pulp in a medium-sized bowl, stir, and soak for 3 minutes. Heat 1/2 cup tomato pulp until boiling, add to the softened gelatin, and stir in to dissolve the gelatin. Add the rest of the tomato pulp, the basil, garlic, hot pepper, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Divide the mixture into 6 lightly oiled 1/2-cup molds for at least 3 hours. unmold and top with a drizzle of extra virgin.

TOMATO BASIL ASPIC

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl; let stand for 5 minutes.
• Add boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved.
• Stir in vinegar, pepper, salt, onion juice, tomato paste, and sugar.
• Pour into 6 individual molds and chill until set, about 3 hours.
• To unmold, dip molds briefly into warm water; loosen edges of gelatin with a sharp knife.
• Unmold on lettuce lined plates and garnish with parsley.

FABIO'S TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• Lightly oil five 4- to 6-ounce ramekins.
• Halve tomatoes and squeeze juice and seeds into a sieve set over a 4-cup measure. In a food processor blend tomato halves until smooth and force puree through sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids. Discard solids and add enough strained tomato puree to juice in measuring cup to measure 2 1/4 cups.
• Transfer 1/4 cup tomato mixture to another bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Let gelatin soften 1 minute. In a small saucepan bring 1/2 cup tomato mixture just to a boil and add to gelatin mixture, stirring to dissolve gelatin. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups tomato mixture and other ingredients (except for additional oil) and divide mixture among ramekins. Chill aspics, covered, until set at least 3 hours and up to 1 day. Run a thin knife around edge of each ramekin and dip in a bowl of hot water for 20 seconds. Invert each ramekin onto a plate and drizzle aspics with additional oil.

TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• Fully dissolve gelatin in boiling water in a mixing bowl.
• Combine vegetable juice, worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and cloves in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf and cloves.
• Stir onion and celery into vegetable juice.
• Pour vegetable juice mixture over dissolved gelatin; stir gently to blend.
• Refrigerate until set completely, about 1 hour.

TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• Lightly grease eight to ten 8-ounce individual molds or custard cups.
• Place the tomatoes, onion, celery, bay leaves, garlic, and cloves in a large saucepan with 1/2 cup of the water and stir to mix. Bring to a low boil and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming the rising foam as needed. Remove from the heat and strain, discarding the bay leaves and cloves, then pushing the pulp through a sieve to make 4 to 5 cups of juice. Add the lemon zest and juice, sugar, vinegar, basil, and salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
• Return the juice to the saucepan, bring to a boil, and reduce by about 2 cups, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to a low boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Combine the gelatin with the remaining 1/4 cup water in a large bowl and stir to mix. Pour the hot juice over the gelatin mixture and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Remove the basil and place the pan of juice in the water bath to fully cool, stirring regularly for even coloring and texture.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared molds, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, until the aspic sets up and is firm.
• To unmold the aspics, run a knife around the outside edge of the molds and set in a pan of warm water for 15 to 20 seconds to loosen. Invert onto a plate or platter and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.