Meat aspic
Aspic is a traditional dish from Muntenia, the former Romanian historical province of Wallachia, which used to be served at the boyars’ and princes’ tables.
Ștefan Baciu, 12.01.2014, 13:17
Aspic is a traditional dish from Muntenia, the former Romanian historical province of Wallachia, which used to be served at the boyars’ and princes’ tables.
Aspic is made of chicken, goose, pork, veal and even fish stock, although fish has too little natural gelatin. For instance, to make chicken aspic you need 1 kg of wings and thighs as well as claws and heads so that the aspic should jellify quicker. You also need 2 onions, 2 carrots, a head of garlic and several sprigs of green parsley.
Boil the meat with the carrots and onions. Skim and leave to boil until the meat shreds off the bones. At the end add salt to taste. Take out the meat and bones and shred the meat in medium sized strips. Strain the liquid and pour it in a container and then add pressed garlic. In a bigger container or in several smaller bowls place, for decoration purposes, round slices of carrot, green parsley sprigs, thin slices of pickled red pepper and also the strips of meat. Then pour the chicken stock carefully and leave to cool, then place the container or bowls in the fridge for the jelly to congeal. The aspic is served the next day.
People eat meat aspic not only during the winter holidays period. For instance, the people of Gorj county, in southwestern Romania, have even dedicated aspic an entire festival that last autumn reached its 5th edition. Cooks from 20 guesthouses and restaurants participated in the festival.
