SC - Meat jellies

[Philip & Susan Troy]

harper at idt.net wrote:
> 
> Last night I tried making a meat jelly (aspic).  It came out pretty well, but
> left me with 2 questions.
> 
> 1. The recipe says that if the jelly does not congeal, to add galingale or
> spikenard, and then it will surely congeal.  Does anyone know if these spices
> will help a gelatin congeal? and why?

I can't think of any reason why they would. What exactly does the recipe
say? Is there any possibility that the spikenard or galingale are to be
added if the jelly is not strong enough [in flavor]? I seem to recall
seeing English and French recipes (am I right in thinking you're working
with a Spanish recipe?) that call for these ingredients, but don't
recall, offhand, seeing them being added for that reason.

This is pretty intriguing, because Scully's translation of the Viandier
refers, I believe, to aspic as an ingredient in various dishes, which
apparently refers to spikenard, while the modern definition of aspic is
meat jelly (more or less). I'm wondering if there is some kind of period
association with meat jellies and spikenard that we have missed because
we don't often use spikenard but still can create working meat jellies.
 
> 2. Would any of the experienced cooks like to share their favorite methods of
> *completely* defatting a broth?  My gravy separator did a decent job, but
> missed a little of the fat.

Ah, you got the little blob that likes to hole up in the spout of the
gravy separator, didn't you ;  )  ?

Once you've skimmed it enough to reach the
tiny-little-dots-of-fat-across-the-surface stage, you can use strips of
clean brown paper, like butcher's paper, or even clean paper towels,
dragging them by one end across the surface, quickly and repeatedly.
Change strips as needed. They'll absorb miniscule amounts of whatever
liquid they touch first, including the fat droplets. This is a pretty
standard trick taught in cooking schools.

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com