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Shrimp and Tomato Aspic
Cook one can tomatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, a dash pepper and one small onion sliced. Soften one-half box gelatine in cold water. When onion is cooked strain and bring liquid to a boil. Turn gelatine into hot liquid, stirring until dissolved, then set away to chill and harden. When ready to serve, break this aspic into small cubes and arrange shrimps on them, pouring plain mayonnaise dressing over all. Hard cooked eggs cut into fine slices make a pretty garnish.
A loose, broken aspic rather than a molded one — the jelly is set firm, then chopped into cubes and used as a bed for shrimp. Two figures need translating: the can of tomatoes and the half box of gelatine.
- Half a box of gelatineA box of granulated gelatine in this period generally held about one ounce, divided into four envelopes of roughly 2 1/2 teaspoons each, so half a box is 2 envelopes, about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons. The usual proportion is one envelope to 2 cups of liquid, so this is roughly double strength — a stiff jelly that will cut into cubes.
- One can tomatoesMost likely a No. 2 can, about 2 1/2 cups of tomatoes with juice, though No. 3 cans (nearer 4 cups) were also sold; a modern 28 oz can is larger, so measure rather than tipping the whole tin in. After cooking and straining you want roughly 2 cups of liquid, so top up with water if the pulp has taken more than expected.
- Softening the gelatineUse 1/4 to 1/2 cup cold water and let it stand about 5 minutes until it looks spongy. Dry granules tipped straight into hot liquid tend to clump into threads that are slow to dissolve.
- Do not boil after the gelatine goes inBring the strained tomato liquid to a boil, then take it off the heat before stirring in the softened gelatine. Prolonged boiling weakens the set, and the cubes will slump on the plate.
- StrainingStrain off the liquid, leaving the onion and the coarser pulp behind; too much pulp clouds the aspic.
- Chilling time"Set away to chill and harden" means at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, and overnight is better. Pour it into a shallow pan an inch deep so it sets fast and cubes neatly.
- The shrimpThe recipe says only "shrimps"; canned shrimp was widely sold and may well be what was meant. Cooked, peeled, chilled shrimp of any size work; drain them well so water does not thin the mayonnaise.
- SeasoningTaste the hot liquid before the gelatine goes in and adjust the salt, or add a squeeze of lemon, while you can still change it.
- YieldAbout 2 cups of aspic, enough for four salad plates as a first course or a light lunch with the eggs and mayonnaise.
Aspic held a peculiar authority in American cooking in the earlier twentieth century, helped along by the spread of mechanical refrigeration in home kitchens: a jelly that sets reliably, keeps overnight and arrives at the table glittering suited a cold cabinet well. Granulated gelatine sold by the box, rather than the calf's-foot stock earlier cooks had to boil down themselves, made the whole genre possible for an ordinary household. This version is notably casual for its type — instead of an elaborate ring mold with shrimp suspended inside, the jelly is simply broken into cubes, a treatment that forgives an imperfect set.