Uncle Bills Tomato Aspic Recipes

TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• Core tomatoes; coarsely chop.Working in batches, transfer to a food processor or food mill. Process to a rough puree.
• Rinse two 24-inch square pieces of cheesecloth.Wring out cheesecloth; layer pieces in a large glass bowl. Pour puree into cheesecloth; gather up ends, and cinch with kitchen twine. Tie ends of cloth together to make a loop. Hang sack from a cupboard door, placing bowl directly underneath to collect juices.
• Let drain at least 1 hour; liquid will be pale. Transfer it to a large glass measuring cup, and set aside.
• Squeeze bundle over emptied bowl to extract remaining liquid; pour into another measuring cup. You should have about 4 cups dark-red tomato juice; if needed, add enough reserved pale liquid to make 4 cups. Pass juice through a fine sieve into a bowl. Discard pale liquid.
• Place 1 cup tomato juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid; let soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan; stir over very low heat until gelatin dissolves. Stir in some of the juice to lower the temperature of the gelatin mixture, then add remaining juice and salt.
• Pour mixture into a 9-by-4 3/4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until jelled, at least 1 hour. To unmold: Slide a knife around inside edge of pan.Wrap loaf pan in a hot towel, and invert onto a serving platter. Garnish with basil sprigs.

TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• In large bowl, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over 1 cup cold juice; let stand 1 minute.
• Add hot juice and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in remaining 2 cups cold juice, lemon juice, sugar, worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce.
• Pour into 5 1/2cup ring mold or bowl; chill until firm, about 4 hours.
• To serve, unmold and if desired, fill with your favorite salad greens, or cut-up fresh vegetables.
• **Applya thin layer of oil, or cooking spray to your mold or bowl to prevent aspic from sticking.

FABIO'S TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• 1. Split the tomatoes in half and squeeze the halves into a sieve over a small bowl to remove juice and seeds. Press the mixture in the sieve and reserve the liquid and the pulp.
• 2. Puree the tomatoes in a food processor and pass through a food mill or strainer to remove the skins. (Or peel, seed, juice, and process tomatoes until smooth if you don't have a food mill.) Add the reserved juice to the pulp and measure 2 1/4 cups of tomato.
• 3. Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup tomato pulp in a medium-sized bowl, stir, and soak for 3 minutes. Heat 1/2 cup tomato pulp until boiling, add to the softened gelatin, and stir in to dissolve the gelatin. Add the rest of the tomato pulp, the basil, garlic, hot pepper, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Divide the mixture into 6 lightly oiled 1/2-cup molds for at least 3 hours. unmold and top with a drizzle of extra virgin.

UNCLE BILL'S TOMATO SOUP WITH FETA CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
• Add garlic and onion and saute' until very tender, about 5 minutes.
• Mix in flour and tomato paste; stir well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring slowly constantly.
• Pour in stock and mix well.
• Add tomatoes including liquid, oregano, basil and sugar and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Puree' the soup mixture in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, then return to the saucepan.
• Bring back to simmer.
• Season with salt and pepper or to taste.
• When serving, sprinkle some feta cheese on top as a garnish.
• Serve Hot.

ASPIC OF TOMATO, WINE AND BASIL

Steps:

• Combine tomato puree, lemon juice and one cup of the wine. Soften the gelatin in the water in a metal measuring cup, place the cup in a shallow pan of water and bring to a simmer. Cook gently until the gelatin dissolves. Mix the gelatin with the remaining wine in a small saucepan.
• Heat the gelatin and wine mixture gently just until the gelatin is completely incorporated. Stir into the tomato mixture, add the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour into a mold or loaf pan and refrigerate until set. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

UNCLE BILL'S TOMATO AND ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a large cooking pot over medium-high heat, melt 1/2 the butter and add olive oil.
• Add onions and cook until softened and lightly golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add carrots, celery, garlic, sugar, paprika, chili powder and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in tomatoes (including liquid), tomato paste, broth, water, chicken soup base, sweet red pepper, green pepper, basil and remaining butter; bring to boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a blender, puree soup in batches until smooth and return to cooking pot.
• Reheat until soup is hot.
• When serving soup, sprinkle some croutons and chopped fresh parsley.
• Refrigerate any unused portions.
• NOTE: Deleting the Chicken Soup Base will reduce the sodium content in the soup.

UNCLE BILL'S PASTA WITH A VEGETARIAN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat.
• Add onion and saute for 4 minutes, stirring often, do not burn.
• Add red and green pepper and saute for another 4 minutes, stirring often.
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, basil, dried oregano, Italian herb seasoning, red hot pepper flakes, salt and pepper; stir to mix.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove cover and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken slightly. When slightly thickened, remove from heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large cooking pot or a pasta pot, fill 3/4 full with hot water and bring to boil.
• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of salt.
• Add rigatoni and cook for 15 minutes, stirring once during cooking.
• Add bow-tie pasta and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until both pastas are el dente.
• When pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta liquid and set aside.
• Drain the pasta and return to the cooking pot.
• Add 2 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 cup of grated Padano cheese and toss to coat well.
• If pasta appears to be too dry, add a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water.
• You may now add the tomato mixture to the pasta pot and mix well to coat, or ladle the pasta into individual serving plates and then add the tomato mixture over the top.
• Sprinkle with additional grated Padano cheese if desired.

UNCLE BILL'S TOMATO ASPIC

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, dissolve lemon jello in 1 cup of boiling water.
• Add tomato juice, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper; stir well to blend.
• Let cool slightly.
• Add onion, sweet red pepper and celery and stir to mix.
• Pour mixture into individual moulds (about 2 1/2" in diameter by 1" deep).
• You can use muffin tins, fill with about 1" of mixture in depth.
• Chill in freezer for about 1 hour or until set.
• Serve with a green salad, seafood or devilled eggs.