Tongue in Aspic

By the RecipeCafe Archives

Ingredients

• 1 beef tongue, cooked according to the directions for boiled tongue (see notes)
• 1 Brown aspic jelly, quantity sufficient to fill the mold (see notes)
• 1 Cooked carrot, sliced or cut in decorative shapes
• 1 Cooked turnip, sliced or cut in decorative shapes
• 1 Cooked beet, sliced or cut in decorative shapes
• 1 Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for decoration

Instructions

1. 1. Cook the tongue according to the directions for boiled tongue (Farmer, p. 184). While the tongue is still hot, peel away the skin and trim the roots from the base.
2. 2. Run a metal skewer lengthwise through the tip of the tongue and into the fleshy base to hold it in a straight, compact shape as it cools. Allow the tongue to cool completely at room temperature, 1–2 hours, until it is firm and holds its shape when the skewer is removed. Remove the skewer.
3. 3. Set an 8-inch (20 cm) round metal mold or cake pan in a bowl of ice water to chill it. Pour a thin, even layer — roughly 1/4 inch (6 mm) — of brown aspic jelly (liquid but not yet set) into the bottom of the chilled pan. Refrigerate or keep over the ice water until the aspic is fully set and firm to the touch, 20–30 minutes.
4. 4. Arrange the decorative garnish: lay pieces of cooked carrot, turnip, and beet cut in decorative shapes, along with sprigs of parsley, in an attractive pattern on top of the firm aspic layer.
5. 5. Spoon additional liquid aspic over the decoration carefully, a spoonful at a time, so the vegetables are not displaced. Return the mold to the ice water or refrigerator until this layer is fully set and firm, 20–30 minutes.
6. 6. Lay the cooled, shaped tongue into the mold on top of the set decoration layer. Gradually spoon or pour the remaining liquid aspic into the mold around and over the tongue, adding it in stages of roughly 1/2 cup (120 ml) at a time and allowing each addition to partially set before adding the next, until the tongue is fully submerged and encased. This staged technique — adding liquid in increments and allowing each layer to set — prevents the tongue from floating and preserves the arrangement of the decoration.
7. 7. Refrigerate the finished mold until the aspic is completely firm throughout, at least 2 hours or overnight, until the surface is clear, glossy, and does not yield when pressed gently. To unmold: dip the base of the pan briefly (3–5 seconds) in hot water, run a thin knife around the inside edge, and invert onto a chilled serving platter. If the aspic does not release, return to the hot water for a further 2–3 seconds.