Cold Eggs Colinette

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Four small oval aspic moulds, about 4 ounces (120 ml) each
• •Wide shallow saucepan for poaching
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Small offset spatula or paring knife
• •Shallow 6-inch (15 cm) pan for the aspic border
• •Small fluted round cutter
• •Large chilled oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the gelée blanche

   Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the cold water and leave it to bloom for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, simmer the chicken stock uncovered until reduced to 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (500 ml); keep the heat measured so the stock concentrates without darkening. Strain it through a dampened fine sieve without pressing any sediment, then season with ½ teaspoon of the measured salt and half the white pepper. Remove it from the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved. Do not boil it once the gelatin enters. Taste a teaspoon after chilling it briefly on a saucer; gelée blanche must taste slightly more seasoned while warm because the cold will soften everything.

2. 2

   Poach the eggs

   Bring an 8 cm depth of water to a bare tremble in a wide saucepan, then add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and 1 teaspoon of the measured salt. Crack each small egg into a cup and slip it into the water, poaching one or two at a time for about 3 minutes, until the white is set and the yolk remains yielding. Lift each egg into ice water immediately. Trim away any feathery white with a small knife to make a tidy oval. If an egg spreads badly, ça se rattrape: gather the white gently around the yolk with a spoon during its first 20 seconds, then trim it once cold. Keep the eggs in fresh cold water until the moulds are ready.

3. 3

   Set the lining

   Chill four small oval moulds for 10 minutes. Cool the gelée blanche over a bowl of ice until it begins to feel lightly syrupy, then spoon about 2 tablespoons into each mould. Rotate each mould slowly over the ice so a thin, even coat sets across the base and sides. Chill for 8 to 10 minutes, until firm but still slightly tacky. Keep the coat thin; a heavy shell turns rubbery and hides the decoration.

4. 4

   Lay the draughtboard

   Cut the hard-cooked egg whites and the reserved 20 g truffle into neat 3 mm dice. Dip each piece in fluid gelée blanche, then arrange alternating ivory and black squares across the base of every mould, extending a narrow band partway up the sides. Use the tip of a small knife to place them. Brush the pattern with a spoonful of gelée blanche and chill until fixed. If the dice begin sliding, stop and chill the mould for 3 minutes before continuing. Ça se rattrape. Setting the pattern is the dish; rushing it is not a shortcut.

5. 5

   Fill the moulds

   Drain the poached eggs and pat every surface thoroughly dry; water prevents the aspic from gripping. Brush each egg with gelée blanche and center one inside each patterned mould. Spoon cool, syrupy gelée blanche down the side until the egg is completely covered, taking care not to pour directly onto the draughtboard. If the gelée sets in the jug, stand it briefly in barely warm water; if it feels warm against your finger, cool it again before pouring or it will melt the lining. Cover the moulds and chill for at least 4 hours.

6. 6

   Cut aspic crescents

   Pour about ¾ cup (180 ml) of the remaining gelée blanche into a shallow 15 cm pan, making a layer about 6 mm thick. Chill until completely firm. Cut small fluted rounds, then overlap the cutter across each round to form indented crescents. Keep them cold on a lightly moistened plate; the thin film of water prevents sticking without dulling their gloss.

7. 7

   Cook the potatoes

   Place the unpeeled potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and season generously with most of the remaining salt. Bring them slowly to a simmer and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until a small knife enters cleanly but the potatoes still hold their shape. Drain, peel while warm, and let them cool completely before cutting into 5 mm slices. A floury or overcooked potato breaks into rubble here, so keep the simmer gentle.

8. 8

   Make salade Rachel

   Whisk the egg yolk with the Dijon mustard, the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, a pinch of salt, and the remaining white pepper. Add the oil drop by drop at first, then in a thin thread once the mayonnaise takes hold, whisking until glossy and firm. If the emulsion splits, put a teaspoon of cold water in a clean bowl and whisk in the broken mayonnaise one spoonful at a time. Ça se rattrape. Fold the celery and the remaining 40 g julienned truffle with just enough mustard mayonnaise to bind them. Salade Rachel is a fine, crisp julienne, not a heavy mound drowned in sauce.

9. 9

   Unmould and arrange

   Mound the salade Rachel in the center of a chilled oval platter. Arrange the cold potato slices around it in a close overlapping ring. Dip each mould in warm water for 2 seconds, loosen the rim with a fingertip, and invert it between the potatoes and the edge of the platter. If an egg refuses to release, warm the mould for one second more; patience, not hotter water. Should a small patch of aspic remain behind, replace it on the egg, brush with fluid gelée blanche, and chill for 5 minutes. Border the platter with the fluted aspic crescents and serve cold. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose the palest, clearest chicken stock you can find. A dark roasted stock makes handsome brown aspic, but this dish asks for gelée blanche so the black-and-ivory draughtboard remains visible.
• •A preserved whole black truffle is the classical pantry's honest answer when fresh truffle is unavailable. Drain it well and save any packing juice for another sauce. Truffle-flavored oil cannot make the required dice or julienne and does not belong here.
• •Small metal aspic moulds release most cleanly. If oval moulds aren't available, use four straight-sided 4-ounce (120 ml) metal ramekins; the silhouette changes, but the patterned lining, poached egg, and firm aspic remain intact.
• •Cold food needs decisive seasoning. Taste the gelée blanche after setting a spoonful and taste the salade Rachel straight from the refrigerator before assembling; correct either while the platter is still in pieces.
• •Serve with a dry Champagne or a mineral Chablis. The acidity cuts through egg yolk and mayonnaise, while the wine stays quiet enough to leave the truffle in command.
• •Pasteurized eggs are the sound choice because the yolks remain soft and the dish is held cold. For anyone pregnant, elderly, very young, or immunocompromised, poach until the yolks are fully set.

Advance Preparation

• •The gelée blanche can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and remelt it gently over barely warm water without boiling.
• •The eggs can be poached, moulded, and chilled a full day before serving. Cover the moulds closely so the aspic does not absorb refrigerator odors.
• •Cook the potatoes a day ahead and chill them whole, then slice them on the day of service. Whole potatoes retain their moisture better than exposed slices.
• •The mustard mayonnaise can be prepared a day ahead, but fold in the celery and truffle no more than 4 hours before serving so the julienne stays crisp.
• •Assemble the platter up to 2 hours before dinner, cover without touching the aspic, and keep it cold until it goes directly to the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 320g)