Fish aspic-jelly – Copyright Coquere
The fish aspic-jelly is healthy with lots of fish and vegetables, few calories in itself.
Fish aspic-jelly
The fish aspic-jelly is a very old dish. There are recipes and notes in Arabic cookbooks dating back to the 10th century. They appeared in France around the 13th century. In Scandinavia, the popular dishes were a part of tables or buffet with cold dishes from the 1930s until the 1980s. Then they disappeared a bit in Scandinavia. This is a dish that can come out of the shadows again.
The fish aspic-jelly is healthy with lots of fish and vegetables, few calories in itself. They are usually served with remoulade and bread, and this is where a lot of the calories are added. The fish aspic-jelly alone is I.e., a healthy, low-calorie dish. Thus, it is quite easy to decide for yourself how much more calories you get, by limiting the accessories. The fish aspic-jelly is an easy dish to make. You just have to be patient, waiting for the aspic to harden. Thus, the perfect dish to make the day in advance.
In this recipe, you get a fish aspic-jelly for four people, if you only serve the fish cabaret with traditional accessories. If it is part of a buffet, it serves many more.
Ingredients
350-400 g cod
150 g Surimi from fish (can be exchanged with 100 g more cod)
12-14 Scampi or large fresh shrimp
8 asparagus
3 eggs
300-350 g assorted vegetables, peas, carrots and the like (finished frozen mixture goes well)
5-6 dl bright aspic gel or vegetarian gel. (Available in most grocery stores)
As an alternative to aspic: 5-6 gelatine leaves; and 5-6 dl with a light fish broth
Directions
- Start by cutting all the vegetables into small cubes if you do not use frozen ready-made vegetables. Only cut the tip of the asparagus so you have 2-3 cm in length.
- Then cook all the vegetables, so that they are thoroughly cooked, but not overcooked. Put them immediately in ice-cold water, to stop the cooking process. Pour off the water, and let the vegetables drip off in a colander / sieve or similar. Set them aside.
- Boil the eggs hard-boiled, and also keep them in ice-cold water, until they are completely cooled. Remove the shell from the eggs and set aside.
- Poach the cod in lightly salted water for 10-12 minutes. (Poaching is a fancy term for letting the cod soak in freshly boiled water, and where you pull the pan off the plate, without more direct heat on in this case). The cod must not be left for so long that it dissolves. It should keep its shape, but be thoroughly cooked.
- Prepare a suitable form that holds all the ingredients. At the same time, you need to be able to replenish as much as possible of the gel. I used a bread tin of 21 x 10 x 6 cm, but you can use both larger and smaller. The point is that you fill up with vegetables until you have almost completely full shape, and then you fill up with aspic jelly. Thus, it is wise to have enough vegetables, so that you do not find out when everything is ready, that the moult became too large. Then you will get a problem getting the fish aspic-jelly pretty, when it is to be turned on to a serving plate.
Assembly:
- Boil the aspic jelly as directed on the package (s). I used a pack that gave 5 dl, and had to use two packs, because with my filling I needed 6 dl. (Or boil fish broth and dissolve the gelatine leaves in it.) This will not be an exact science, because it depends on what ingredients you have in it, and how space-filling your ingredients are in relation to your mould.
- Then put a pretty layer on the bottom. I divided my eggs in half, and put them with the cut side down, then you can put scampi / shrimps nicely out, and in addition I suggest using the asparagus top at the bottom. It is the bottom that becomes the top and presentation of the fish aspic-jelly. If you wish, you can carefully pour a small layer of aspic gel and let it set. This is often suggested to get a nice presentation, but takes more time. I didn`t care to do this. I only made sure that all the filling was tightly packed, then I filled up with the aspic very carefully. It is possible the presentation could have been nicer with such a way of doing it. Homemade food can, in my opinion, look a bit rustic.
- Put the fish aspic-jelly cold covered in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours, or finish it the evening in advance.
Served:
Carefully immerse the mould in hot water, just make sure that you do not get water up in the fish aspic-jelly itself. Do not overdo the time you have it in hot water, otherwise the gel will melt completely. Use a thin knife or a thin spatula or the like. down along the sides. Press slightly inwards. You will notice when it starts to loosen. Cover it with a suitable serving dish, or dish, and quickly turn it around on the dish. Wipe off any gel that has become watery. Put it back in the fridge for 30-60 min.
Served with loaf, as well as a good remoulade. See your own recipe for a simple and quick remoulade: Remoulade sauce
Allergy: Gluten and lactose free. High FODMAP in green peas and asparagus. However, there are such small amounts per serving, that most people will tolerate this well. Under 12 g of asparagus and 45 g of peas.
Read more about the use of aspic and the history of aspic-jelly: Aspic
The fish aspic-jelly is related to the French terrine. See separate explanation on terrine: Terrine
What is surimi and similar products: Surimi