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Lamb Cutlets in Aspic Jelly
Line the bottom of a stewpan with slices of bacon, onions and sliced carrots; trim a few cutlets, place them in the stewpan with a few cloves and peppercorns, half a blade of mace and two or three sprigs of parsley. Moisten with one wineglassful of sherry and sufficient clear stock to cover them, and leaving the lid on, simmer at the side of the fire. When tender leave the cutlets in their cooking liquor until they are half cold, then drain, place them between two plates and put a weight on the top. When quite cold trim the cutlets neatly, pour a layer of liquid aspic jelly into a vessel, and when it is set lay the cutlets upon it and cover with another layer of jelly, placing the pan on the ice to cool. After the jelly is quite cold and firm procure a tin cutter the shape of a cutlet and stamp the cutlets out with it, dipping it continually in hot water. Boil until cooked some young green peas, then drain off the water, put a little jelly in with them and toss over the fire for a minute or two until well covered with it. Place a circle of chopped jelly on a dish, arrange the cutlets on it and pour the peas into the center. Garnish round the cutlets with croutons of aspic jelly, and serve.
A cold buffet dish built in three stages: braise, press, set in jelly. Nothing is difficult, but the whole thing depends on the aspic being properly clear and properly firm, so make that first and keep it warm over water while you work.
- The cutletsRib chops from a rack of lamb, trimmed small; the recipe says only "a few," so allow one or two per person as a first course. Buy them thin; a thick chop will not stamp out cleanly under the cutter.
- Simmer at the side of the fireOn a coal range the pan was pushed off the hot centre to hold a bare tremble. On a modern hob that is the lowest setting, or a low oven with the lid on; the recipe gives no time, so cook until the meat gives easily. A rolling boil will shred the meat and cloud the stock you may want to reuse.
- WineglassfulPeriod cookbooks use this for anything from 2 to 4 fl oz. A generous quarter-cup of dry sherry is in range here and the amount is not critical, since the liquor is a braising medium rather than a sauce.
- A blade of maceOne whole strip of the lacy aril around a nutmeg; half a blade is a modest amount. A pinch of ground mace will stand in, but it will not strain out and will cloud the liquor a little however you bag it.
- Aspic jellyThe book assumes a house stock so gelatinous it sets on its own, clarified with egg white. Working from bought stock, plan on roughly 1 oz (about four envelopes) of powdered gelatin per quart — firm enough to cut and stamp, which is much stiffer than a spoonable jelly. Test a saucerful in the fridge before committing the whole batch.
- PressingThe weight between two plates is what makes a flat, even slab that will take a clean stamp. Two or three hours in the fridge under a couple of cans is enough; overnight is better.
- Setting and stampingPour the first layer into a shallow tray no deeper than the cutlets, chill until firm, lay the meat on, then cover with jelly that has cooled to barely warm — hot jelly will melt the base layer and float the chops. Dip the cutter in hot water and wipe it between cuts.