Ukrainian Aspic Recipe Kholodets

KHOLODETS - ASPIC RECIPE

Steps:

• 1st boil: To a large 8 qt pot add 2 pigs feet, 1 rear hock, 2 lbs pork loin, 2 lbs of boneless beef chuck, and add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes. Next, remove the meat to a clean bowl. Discard the cooking liquid and wash the pot clean.
• 2nd boil: Add all the meat back to the pot, cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 hours. All throughout cooking constantly skim the top from impurities with a slotted spoon. Do not cover with a lid.Tip: Preventing rapid boil and keeping the lid off while simmering will ensure that the broth comes out clear and not cloudy.
• Keep an eye on the water level and add more if needed to keep the meat submerged at all times. If needed add a smaller sized lid or dinner plate to the top of the meat to weigh the meat down and under the water.
• Add aromatics: Now add 2 onions, 2 carrots, 3 stalks celery, 15 black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, and 1 Tbsp of salt to the stock. Continue simmering for 1 more hour.
• Remove solids: Remove all meat chunks from the broth to a large bowl and leave to cool to room temp. Remove and discard the remaining vegetables (onions, carrots, and bay leaves).
• Lastly, add 6-8 cloves of minced garlic and 1 bunch of parsley to the broth and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust the salt amount without disturbing the broth too much as not to break any remaining impurities.
• Once the meat has cooled, discard the pig's feet, any bones, fat, or skin. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces and add to a 9"x12" baking dish in an even layer. To make the meat aspic in individual portions, portion the meat between deep soup bowls or other small, but deep containers.Cover & refrigerate until ready for next step.
• While the meat is cooling drain and cool the broth: set a sieve lined with 2-3 layers of paper towels over a large pot. Carefully drain the broth to remove any solids, fat, or impurities. Change the paper towels as the broth stops flowing through - the fat creates a barrier and prevents the liquid from going through. To get an absolutely fat-free broth, you might need to drain the broth through paper towels several times. Any fat left in the broth will cover the aspic in white patches as it solidifies if not removed at this stage. For best results, cool the broth to room temperature before using it in the next steps. Otherwise pouring hot broth over the meat will melt the fat in the meat and make it float to the top.Tip: The quickest way to cool the broth is to set the pot with the hot broth into a sink full of cold/icy water and stir it every so often until the broth cools.
• Add half the broth to the meat: pour half of the cooled to room temperature broth over the meat. Skim any fat that floats to the top with a spoon. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes to slightly set. This will prevent the meat from floating to the top as you pour the other half of the broth. Keep the other half of the broth mixture at room temperature as the first half sets in the fridge.
• Add the remainder of the broth: Once lightly set, remove the kholodets from the fridge and pour the remaining half of the broth over the top covering the meat completely. Add leaves of parsley for garnish if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely set, about 4-5 hours or overnight.
• Once set, cut into 2x2 squares and serve alongside some beet & horseradish relish.
• Combine 1 large cooked and finely grated beet with 2 1/2 Tbsp vinegar, 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar and 1 1/4 tsp salt. Lastly, add 1/2 of the horseradish sauce (3 Tbsp) and stir everything to combine. Taste and continue adding the remainder of the horseradish sauce, a little at a time until desired spiciness level is reached. Keep in mind that as the relish sits in the fridge it will lose some of the spiciness.

UKRAINIAN ASPIC RECIPE (KHOLODETS)

Steps:

• Make sure you soak the pork legs in cold wate (3 hours to overnight - it's also a good way to thaw the pork)
• In a large pot, add pork legs, and chicken drum sticks. Add enough water to cover all of the meat. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, remove from heat and drain off the water. Rinse the meat, refill with fresh water (enough water to cover all of the meat, plus an extra 1/2-inch over the meat); Don't add too much water or it won't be "gelatiney" enough later. Cover and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to a light boil/simmer and set a timer for 5 hours.
• After cooking for 5 hours, Add 1 large carrot, 2 medium onions (both ends removed), 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, 5-8 peppercorns and 2 tsp salt into the pot and continue boiling on low heat 1 more hour. It should look like a nice chicken broth. Now it's important that you do not discard the broth and do not add more water to the pot!
• Remove the drumsticks and carrot from the broth and let them cool. Discard pork legs, onion and bay leaves. Use a fine mesh sieve with 3 bounty paper towels over the sieve and filter the broth through the paper towels. You will be left with a clean broth.
• Peel and press 4 garlic cloves into the broth and do a taste test to see if more salt is needed.
• Once the meat has cooled, use a fork to separate meat from the bones. Keep the good meat; discard the bones. Thinly slice the carrot. You can make one big holodets in a rectangular pyrex dish or you can make smaller serving bowls.
• Start by placing carrots on the bottom and top with some dill if you wish. Next add the meat in an even layer and pour broth over the meat; enough to cover the meat and a little extra over the top. Refrigerate 3 hours to overnight, or until firm. Serve with red horseradish/hren (recipe on NatashasKitchen.com) or Russian mustard. Once it's set, set the bowl in hot water for a few seconds, then use a slim spatula to release the gelatin from the dish. Or you can just serve it out of the dish and save yourself a step.

UKRAINIAN MEAT IN ASPIC KHOLODETS

Steps:

• Scrub pig's foot in cold water and scrape off any bristles.
• Combine meats, vegetables peppercorns, and bay leaf in large kettle or pressure cooker.
• Cook covered in water until very well done (about 3 hours in kettle or 45 minutes at 15 pounds pressure in pressure cooker).
• When meat is loose from bones, uncover and cool.
• Pour off broth, skim off fat, and reserve broth.
• Remove meat from bones, discarding turkey skin and fat and vegetables.
• Chop meat into bite-size pieces and place in an oblong pan.
• Add peeled and crushed garlic, salt, and pepper.
• Soften gelatin in 1 cup hot broth and add to meat.
• Pour enough remaining broth to cover meat by at least 1/2 inch.
• Taste broth and adjust seasoning.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• Keeps refrigerated up to 1 week.
• Serve in 1 inch slices sprinkled with flavoured vinegar or lemon juice.
• Garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

UKRAINIAN ASPIC (KHOLODETS, Холодец)

Steps:

• Divide the bones and meat between the two pots, tying to keep the amounts of meats and bones in each of the pots even. Fill up the pots just enough to cover the bones. Bring the pots to a rolling boil, and then turn off the heat. Dump out the water. This step will get rid of impurities in the bones and will ensure a clearer broth. Fill up the pots again, just enough to cover the bones. Add 1/4 cup chopped apple cider vinegar to each pot. Bring it to a simmer and skim off the scum that floats to the top. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pots. You want it to simmer on very low heat―like, just a couple bubbles every second―for a very long time (from 24 up to 72 hours; I did mine for 48). This and the ACV is going to help extract all that healing gelatin and rich minerals from the bones. Six hours before the broth is going to be done, add two onions, two carrots, one stalk of celery, and two bay leaves to each pot. Once the broth is done, turn off the heat. With a slotted spoon, take out the contents, leaving just the broth in the pots. Set the meats, meaty bones, and carrots in a bowl to cool slightly. (The other veggies, bones, and chicken feet can be thrown out or composted as you desire.) Strain the broth through the strainer, lined with a paper towel, into the large glass jars or glass bowls. The paper towel will catch the last remaining gunky bits so you get a really clear broth. If you can fit all of the broth into one stockpot (make sure you clean it first), consolidate it and add the minced garlic, salt and pepper. Otherwise, just divide the broth evenly between the two pots and add half of the mixed garlic to each of the pots. Using your hands, pick apart the meat and separate the good pulled meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Slice the carrots into "coins". Lay the carrot coins in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Then, layer the pulled meat, with equal parts chicken, pork, and beef, into the bottoms of the glass containers. (It's okay if you only have carrot coins for a couple of the dishes and the rest have just meat.) Ladle the broth over the meat, filling up the containers, stirring the broth in the pot as you go as you go so all the garlic doesn't settle to the bottom. Put the containers in the fridge and allow them to cool overnight until they are set. If you want to serve it and make it look fancy, invert the container onto a serving platter. You may have to run the container under some hot water (with the lid on tightly, of course) to loosen it a little. Otherwise, you can scoop it directly from the dish onto the plate. And then do a little kholodets dance. All that hard work paid off and you're finished! You can garnish with a sprig of dill to make it pretty. Eat it with a dollop of good quality mustard or horseradish mayonnaise (or both, if you're as crazy as I am!).

MY KHOLODETS (FISH ASPIC)

Steps:

• Cook tilapia in microwave just until it is just done. Do not overcook or it will fall apart.
• Bring 3 cups water to a boil and add the bouillon cubes. Stir to dissolve. Add Worcestershire sauce, pepper, garlic powder, and sugar.
• Add the carrots and mushrooms. Cook until done.
• Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Use a cheese cloth or towel to strain the bouillon.
• Dissolve the gelatin packets in the bouillon.
• Pour 1 cup of bouillon into a rectangular dish and put into the refrigerator until it is semi-set.
• Cut tilapia into pieces and arrange on top of the gelatin. Arrange mushrooms and carrot pieces around the fish. Pour the rest of the bouillon over.
• Decorate with lemon slices and leek.
• Place in refrigerator a few hours until it is set. Serve with horseradish.