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Pork Chops In Aspic
(Sulzkoteletten)
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| What You Need: |
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2-pound loin of pork, center cut, with the backbone (chine) sawed through but left attached and tied to the loin in 2 or 3 places
2 cups dry white wine
½ cup white wine vinegar
5½ cups cold water
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and pierced with 2 whole cloves
1 scraped carrot, cut into ¼-inch slices
2 celery stalks, including the leaves, coarsely chopped
10 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 egg whites, beaten to a froth
Garnish as desired with thinly sliced and fancifully cut flowers made from any combination of cooked r raw carrots, drained and rinsed weet gherkins, drained and rinsed imientos, drained and rinsed ickled cauliflower, blanched callion or leek tops, peeled ucumber, peeled and seeded omato, and whites of hard-cooked eggs
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| How To Cook: |
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1. In a deep, heavy casserole or a soup pot just large enough to hold the meat comfortably, combine the pork loin, wine, vinegar and 5 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, meanwhile skimming off the foam and scum that rise to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and add the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
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2. Cover the casserole and simmer the pork for 1½ hours, or until it is tender and shows no resistance when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
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3. Transfer the pork to a plate and let it cool to room temperature. Then cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate. (If you plan to use the carrot slices to garnish the chops in the finished dish, reserve them on the plate with the pork loin.)
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4. Strain the cooking stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl, discarding the vegetables and herbs. With a large spoon skim the surface of all fat. There should be about 5 cups of stock. If more, boil briskly, uncovered, until reduced to the required amount.
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5. Prepare the aspic in the following fashion: Sprinkle the gelatin into the ½ cup of cold water and let it soften for 5 minutes. Then, in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine it with the stock and add the beaten egg whites. Over high heat, bring the stock to a boil, meanwhile stirring constantly with a whisk.
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6. When the stock begins to froth and rise, remove the pan from the heat. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then pour it into a large sieve lined with a damp kitchen towel and set over a large bowl. Allow the aspic to drain through without disturbing it at any point, then taste for seasoning (it will probably need more salt) and set it aside. Do not refrigerate.
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7. Carefully carve the pork loin into 6 chops about ½ inch thick. Cut the meat and fat away from the bones and trim the chops into neat, symmetrical cutlets. Pour a layer about 1/8 inch thick of the aspic into each of 6 cutlet molds or into a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the cutlets comfortably in one layer.
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8. Chill in the refrigerator until firmly set. Decorate the surface of the set aspic with the garnish of your choice and carefully place the chops on top of it.
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9. Pour enough liquid aspic into the mold or baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the chops and refrigerate again until the aspic is firm. (This step is necessary to prevent the chops from rising to the surface of the molds when the remaining aspic is added.)
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10. When the chops are firmly anchored, cover them completely with liquid aspic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm. Any remaining aspic may be chilled in a flat pan or dish at the same time and used chopped or cut into decorative shapes as a garnish when the chops are served.
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11. To unmold chops from individual molds, run a small, sharp knife around the side of each mold, then dip the bottom into hot water for a few seconds. Wipe the mold dry and turn it out on a chilled serving plate.
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12. The chops in the baking dish may be served directly from the dish or you may unmold them in the following fashion: Run a sharp knife around the sides of the dish and dip the bottom in hot water for a few seconds.
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13. Place a fiat, shallow platter upside down over the dish and, grasping the platter and dish firmly together, invert them. Rap them on a table and the aspic should slide out easily.
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14. To make pork cutlets molded in aspic (recipe above), first pour a 1/8-inch film of liquid aspic into the mold and refrigerate until firm. Add the decorations. Now place a cutlet on top and pour in enough liquid aspic to cover it halfway.
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15. Refrigerate until set, and then fill the mold with aspic and refrigerate again. When all the layers are firm, the mold is ready to unmold and serve.
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