Aspic 971278 226132324 2008-07-16T23:28:12Z 66.60.114.2 [[Image:Aspic-with-eggs.jpg|thumb|right|An aspic with chicken and eggs. Photo by Anthony Georgeff.]] '''Aspic''' is a dish in which ingredients are set into a [[gelatin]]e made from a [[meat]] [[stock (food)|stock]] or [[consommé]]. When cooled, stock made from meat congeals because of the natural gelatin found in the meat. The stock can be clarified with [[egg white]]s, and then filled and flavored just before the aspic sets. Almost any type of food can be set into aspics. Most common are meat pieces, [[fruit]]s, or [[vegetable]]s. Aspics are usually served on cold plates so that the gel will not melt before being eaten. A meat jelly that includes [[cream (food)|cream]] is called a ''chaud-froid.'' Nearly any type of meat can be used to make the gelatin: [[pork]], [[beef]], [[veal]], [[chicken]], or even [[fish]]. The aspic may need additional gelatin in order to set properly. Veal stock provides a great deal of gelatin; in making stock, veal is often included with other meat for that reason. Fish consommés usually have too little natural gelatin, so the fish stock may be double-cooked or supplemented. Since fish gelatin melts at a lower temperature than gelatins of other meats, fish aspic is more delicate and melts more readily in the mouth. ==History== Historically meat jellies were made before fruit and vegetable jellies. By the [[Middle Ages]] at the latest, cooks had discovered that a thickened meat broth could be made into a jelly. A detailed recipe for aspic is found in ''[[Le Viandier]]'', written in around [[1375]]. Gelatin is also found in cartilage. == See also == *[[Garde manger]] *[[Head cheese]] *[[Pork jelly]] *[[Terrine]] *[[Pâté]] *[[Larks' Tongues in Aspic]] == External links == *[http://www.gardemanger.com/aspic/aspic.html gardemanger.com] *[http://latvians.com/en/Reading/LatviskaVirtuve/virtuve-01-sivena-galerts.php Latvian pork aspic] [[Category:Cuisine of the Southern United States]] [[Category:Food ingredients]] [[Category:Meat]] [[Category:Garde manger]] {{unreferenced|date=August 2007}} [[de:Aspik]] [[es:Aspic]] [[fr:Œufs en gelée]] [[it:Aspic]] [[ja:アスピック]] [[no:Kabaret (matrett)]] [[pt:Aspic]] [[ru:Студень (блюдо)]] [[sv:Aladåb]]