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Crayfish in Jelly
Crayfish are something like lobsters, but smaller, and the flesh more delicate; indeed, they are more useful and delicious than any other shellfish, and if every housekeeper were to enquire for them two or three times at the fishdealer's they would soon become plentiful. There are several kinds; those are considered the best which are reddish under the claws. To serve them in jelly, take a pint of fish for rather less than a pint of savory or aspic jelly. Put a little jelly at the bottom of a mould; when it is cold, lay the crayfish upon it, and repeat this until the materials are finished, but care must be taken to let the jelly stiffen each time, or all will sink to the bottom, and also to put the fish in with the back downwards, or they will be wrong side up when turned out. Garnish with parsley. This is a pretty dish. Time, thirty-six hours or more. Sufficient for a quart mould.
A cold aspic mould, and the whole thing hangs on patience: each layer of jelly has to set firm before the next goes in, or the crayfish drift to the bottom and you lose the pattern.
- The fish must be cooked firstCrayfish are boiled in salted water until they turn red (a few minutes), then cooled. Nothing in the mould cooks, so raw fish must never go in. The recipe's insistence on laying them 'back downwards' suggests they go in whole, or as shelled tails that keep their shape, rather than as loose picked meat.
- A pint of fishA pint by volume of crayfish; the recipe does not say whether whole or shelled. If shelled tail meat is meant, the yield from live crayfish is low (well under a quarter of live weight), so several pounds of live fish would be needed. Frozen cooked crayfish tails, sold by the pound, are a straightforward substitute.
- Savory or aspic jellyThis is a clarified, seasoned fish or veal stock set with gelatin, not a sweet jelly. Modern proportions run about 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) powdered gelatin per cup of well-flavoured stock, a little firmer than table jelly so it holds a slice.
- The thirty-six hoursThe recipe gives the figure without explanation; it presumably allows for making and clearing the stock and setting the layers rather than for any long cooking. With shop-bought stock and powdered gelatin the active work is under an hour, plus 20-30 minutes of chilling between layers and several hours for the finished mould.
- Backs downwardsWorth taking seriously. The mould is filled and then turned out, so whatever you want to show on the finished dome must go in facing downwards.
- UnmouldingDip the mould in hot water for a few seconds, or wrap it in a hot cloth, then invert onto a wetted plate so you can slide the jelly into place. A lightly oiled mould releases more cleanly than a dry one.
- SourcingIn the UK the native white-clawed crayfish is a protected species; note also that live signal and Louisiana crayfish are subject to restrictions there, so buy them cooked or frozen. In the US, Louisiana crawfish are sold live and frozen for much of the year.
- YieldA quart mould serves six to eight as a first course. Keep it refrigerated until the moment it goes to table, and eat it the same day.