Meat Jelly

Meat jelly or aspic is one of the specific dishes for the winter holidays in Romania

România Internațional, 13.01.2019, 14:19

Meat jelly or
aspic is one of the specific dishes for the winter holidays in Romania, being a
staple dish for the Christmas and the New Year festive dinner. Meat jelly is a
traditional dish from Wallachia, in southern Romania, which used to be served
also at the princely courts. Aspic is typically made of pork, chicken, goose,
veal and even fish.

For chicken aspic, you will need about one kilogram of
wings, thighs, or both, as well as a few heads and feet to give it better coagulation.
You also need two onions, two carrots, a head of garlic and a few sprigs of
green parsley. Boil the chicken parts with the carrots and the onion. Skim the
liquid once it boils, and leave to cook until the meat shreds off the bone. At
the end add salt to taste. Take out all the meat and bones, and then shred the
meat in medium sized strips. Strain the liquid, and then add to it the minced
garlic. Take several small bowls which will make up the individual servings.
Place in each bowl for decoration slices of carrot and sprigs of green parsley,
and maybe slices of pickled bell pepper. Place some strips of meat in the bowl
as well. Top the bowls with the chicken stock, which you have previously
cooled, then place them in a very cold place or in the fridge. Serve the aspic
the next day.

Carp aspic is
made in the same way. You need one piece of carp of 1 kg, 4 medium onions, two
carrots, one parsley root, a head of garlic, a couple of peppercorns and two
laurel leaves. Boil the finely chopped onions in salted water, then take out
the onion and puree it. Boil in the same water the carrot and the parsley, the
peppercorns and laurel leaves. After 20 minutes add the pieces of carp and
after another 20 minutes remove the pot from heat. Strain the liquid and place
it in a bowl, then mix it with the pureed onions and the mashed garlic. Add the
peppercorns and the pieces of carp. Place in the fridge to coagulate. Serve the
next day. Enjoy!