Aspic

A term used in the "great cuisine" to define a cold preparation, made up of different ingredients (vegetables, fish, meat, fruit) - alone or accompanied by each other - "enclosed" in a gelatin shell. In French "aspic" also means "asp": this analogy may derive from the fact that, in the past, molds in the shape of a coiled snake were used for this preparation.

Currently, for the aspic, donut-shaped containers are used (called by Savarin, because they were invented by the famous French gastronome), with a truncated cone (from charlotte) or pudding, with fluted walls (also of the portion type). These containers must in any case be made of steel or glass or porcelain, i.e. materials that do not alter the taste and color of the gelatine.

The latter, very clear and rather consistent, must cover the walls of the mold with a thickness of at least one inch, to ensure the perfect seal of the ingredients it wraps and to facilitate the release of the aspic from the mold. To further facilitate this last operation, you can immerse the mold, just removed from the fridge, in boiling water for 30 seconds or turn it upside down on a plate and heat the bottom with a hairdryer.