Fish Aspic with White Wine

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •3-quart heavy saucepan
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Rinsed muslin or several layers of fine cheesecloth
• •Large bowl for an ice bath
• •Two small saucers for testing the set
• •Shallow molds or covered refrigerator dishes

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the clarification

   Put two small saucers in the freezer. Line a fine sieve with rinsed, damp muslin and suspend it over a spotless bowl, then prepare a larger bowl of ice water. Crush the caviar lightly in a heavy saucepan and mix it with the cold Fish Consommé (No. 4) until loosened. Gradually whisk in the cold White Fish Stock (No. 11). Both liquids must begin cold so the caviar proteins disperse before they coagulate.

   Pressed caviar is admirably suited to clarification. Its appearance no longer matters, and its concentrated fish savor strengthens the fumet.
2. 2

   Raise the caviar raft

   Set the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir slowly across the bottom as the liquid warms. When the caviar begins gathering into grey curds, stop stirring and let those proteins rise into a raft. Open a small vent through the raft with the handle of a spoon, then hold the liquid at the barest tremble for 15 minutes. Never let it boil, because a hard boil breaks the raft and drives its particles back through the stock. If that happens, remove the pan from the heat and leave it untouched for 10 minutes, then strain it twice through damp muslin without pressing. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Restore the measure

   Ladle the clarified liquid gently through the prepared sieve, leaving the caviar raft and sediment behind. Measure the clear stock and add enough cold Ordinary or White Consommé (No. 1) to bring it to 7 cups (1.68 L), reserving any remainder for correcting the gel. If a pale golden aspic is wanted, add the saffron now, warm the stock gently for 5 minutes, and strain it once more. Taste a chilled spoonful before adding salt, because caviar and consommé both carry their own seasoning.

4. 4

   Test the gel

   If using powdered gelatin, sprinkle it evenly over the cold water and leave it for 5 minutes. If using leaves, soak them in ample cold water until pliable, then squeeze them well. Warm the clarified stock until hot but never boiling, and dissolve half the prepared gelatin in it. Spoon a tablespoon onto a frozen saucer and chill it for 5 minutes. The sample should tremble, hold a clean edge, and melt readily in the mouth. Add more gelatin in small portions, testing after each addition. If the sample becomes too firm, stir in some reserved Ordinary or White Consommé (No. 1) while the mixture remains warm and test again. Less gelatin makes the finer aspic, and the supplied 20 grams is a ceiling, not a target.

5. 5

   Cool, then add wine

   Set the bowl of clarified aspic in the ice bath and stir gently until it is completely cold and begins to coat the spoon like very light cream. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the measured wine, then fold in the remainder and taste before deciding whether the last spoonfuls are needed. This timing preserves the wine's aroma. If the aspic sets before the wine goes in, warm one cup of the jelly just until liquid, stir it back through the bowl, and cool it again. Ça se rattrape. Add the wine only when the mixture returns to the edge of coagulation.

6. 6

   Set and serve cold

   Pass the finished aspic through a clean fine sieve into shallow molds or covered storage dishes. Chill for at least 4 hours, leaving it uncovered only until the surface has set, then cover it so it takes on no refrigerator odors. Use the tender jelly to glaze chilled poached fish, line a fish mold, or spoon generously beside cold sole. For an outdoor table, nest the serving dish over ice and return leftovers promptly to the cold. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The White Fish Stock (No. 11) must be founded on sole or whiting bones. Oily fish make a heavy, cloudy stock and pull this delicate aspic in the wrong direction.
• •Fresh caviar clarifies beautifully, but pressed caviar is no compromise here. The caviar is sacrificed to the raft and strained away, so concentration and freshness matter more than perfect pearls.
• •Choose dry Champagne, dry white Bordeaux, or dry white Burgundy that tastes good in the glass. The aspic concentrates flaws as readily as virtues, and the wine's perfume is the finish, not decoration.
• •Gelatin leaves vary in strength. Weigh them when substituting grades, and trust the frozen-saucer test over the packet's general directions. Tenderness is part of the technique.
• •Keep the finished aspic properly chilled during outdoor service. A broad dish set over a tray of ice is more useful than a decorative mold left warming in the sun.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare and chill the White Fish Stock (No. 11), Fish Consommé (No. 4), and Ordinary or White Consommé (No. 1) beforehand. Their preparation times belong to their own entries and are not included here.
• •The aspic may be clarified, perfumed, and set one day before serving. Its wine aroma is liveliest within two days, and it keeps for up to three days under refrigeration.
• •Do not freeze the finished aspic. Freezing damages the gel network, and the jelly releases water as it thaws.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 240g)