Clear, cool, classy
A cool shimmer of gelée catches the light, and suspended beneath its glassy sheen like a summer mosaic is a perfectly poached egg, an asparagus tip, some fresh peas, slices of carrots, pieces of tender green beans and sprigs of herbs. Spoon into it, first breaking into the smooth gelée and then into the rich, velvety egg.
One bite, and the flavor of the gelée shines through, bright and refreshing and citrusy -- because it’s made with Sauvignon Blanc. It’s the white wine gelée that makes this classic French dish appealingly modern. Traditionally, oeuf en gelée is set in aspic jelly made with a clarified veal stock. But using white wine gelée in lieu of a veal aspic turns it into something altogether new.
White wine gelée is perfect in summer -- it’s cool and smooth and delicate. Pair cubes of it with fresh berries in a stemmed glass or layer it with panna cotta. Use it to garnish poached chicken or salmon. Put a thin layer of it over canapés.
A gelée is simply liquid set with gelatin. Traditionally, the liquid for a savory gelée is fish or meat stock that’s been reduced to concentrate the flavor and clarified because it “must always be crystal clear and a light, golden color,” according to “The Art of Garde Manger,” published by the Culinary Institute of America in the 1970s. Add white wine to the mix and the flavor is brightened, sharpened, more focused.
It’s sort of an elaborate process, but the result isn’t fussy -- it’s coolly beautiful, a literally sparkling layer or base for more dishes than you’d think.
A terrine of chicken liver pâté, spiced with a touch of nutmeg, begs for a layer of gelée, which gets a sort of honeyed voluptuousness from the addition of Monbazillac, a sweet wine from southwest France. Start with chicken stock, preferably homemade; it’s worth it for the depth of flavor, but you can use commercial chicken broth as a substitute. To clarify the stock or broth, simmer it with a couple of egg whites and egg shells. The egg whites coagulate to form a “raft” and draw impurities from the liquid. Discard the raft and what remains is clear stock. Add softened gelatin to the stock, along with the Monbazillac. Decorate the top of the pâté with chives, then gently spoon the gelée, set just to a syrupy stage, over it. Finally, chill the pâté until it’s completely set.
Eggs in gelée are common in French charcuteries. Rows of them are lined up in refrigerated cases, decorated with sunbursts of tarragon leaves or sprigs of dill or wrapped with slices of ham or smoked salmon. Served with toasted brioche, they’re perfect for brunch.
Once you make the vegetable stock (which you don’t need to clarify) and add the gelatin, chill it, stirring gently, in a bowl over ice water so you can see when it begins to thicken (it will happen quickly). Then stir in the blanched vegetables -- they should be suspended in the gelée -- and assemble.
Or for dessert, make a gelée from the juices of crushed poached grapes and white Port. Once cooled and set, cut it into cubes and scatter them atop fresh figs poached in white Port with a little vanilla and lime peel. It all comes together with a drizzling of the figs’ poaching syrup.
What could be cooler?
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donna.deane@latimes.com
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Figs with white Port gelée
Total time: About 1 hour, 45 minutes, plus overnight maceration time and chilling time Servings: 4 to 6 Note: From test kitchen director Donna Deane. You might have some syrup left over from poaching the figs. This would be delicious on pancakes or waffles, or over ice cream. White Port is available at many fine wine shops. 1 pound green grapes
2
teaspoons sugar, or to taste, plus 2/3 cup sugar, divided
2
teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2
tablespoons white Port wine, plus 1/3 cup, divided
1
teaspoon lime juice, divided
4-6
figs, cut in half lengthwise
1/2
vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Lime peel, 1 1/2 -inch piece
1. Wash the grapes
and remove the stems. Place the grapes in a medium saucepan and add 1 cup water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to soften and slightly cook the grapes. Remove from the heat.
2. Lightly crush the grapes
in the pan using a potato masher or pestle. Pour the grapes and the liquid into a glass or nonreactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Pour the grapes
with the juices into a sieve lined with several layers of dampened cheesecloth over a large measuring cup or a bowl. Allow the juice to drain from the mashed grapes into the bowl. Let the juice drain naturally, about 5 minutes; do not press the grapes as this will cloud the juice. You should have about three-fourths cup juice. Discard the grapes.
4. Place the juice
in a small saucepan and stir in 2 teaspoons of sugar, or to taste (it should be a bit tart). Heat the juice over medium heat to just below simmering. Taste again and adjust for sweetness. Remove one-fourth cup of the juice to a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the juice. When the gelatin is moistened, add it to the rest of the juice, stirring until it is dissolved.
5. Stir 2 tablespoons
of the Port and one-half teaspoon of the lime juice into the gelée mixture. Pour the mixture into an 8-inch loaf pan and refrigerate until set, about 45 minutes.
6. Poach the figs
while the gelée is setting up. In a large saucepan, combine two-thirds cup sugar and 2 cups water. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and drop in the pod, along with the lime peel. Heat the mixture over medium heat to simmering. Stir in the remaining one-third cup Port wine. Add the figs cut side up, and simmer about 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and let stand until the figs cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
7. Once the figs
have cooled, remove them from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain the syrup through a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh strainer. Pour the syrup back into the pan and heat to simmering over high heat. Reduce the poaching liquid to a syrupy consistency (to about two-thirds cup), 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to warm.
8. When ready to serve,
arrange two fig halves on a serving plate. Cut the gelée into three-fourths-inch squares and arrange three squares of gelée on top of each fig half. Drizzle the fig syrup around the figs on the plate. Repeat with the remaining figs.
Each of 6 servings (1 fig per serving):
160 calories; 1 gram protein; 36 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 0 fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 4 mg. sodium.
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Chicken liver pâté with Monbazillac gelée
Total time: About 2 hours, plus overnight chilling time
Servings: 12
Note: From Donna Deane. Monbazillac is available at many fine wine shops.
2
eggs
3
cups homemade chicken stock or good-quality
commercial chicken broth
1
pound chicken livers
1/2
cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus 2
tablespoons butter, divided
1
medium onion, chopped
1
tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2
teaspoon paprika
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2
teaspoon salt
1/8
teaspoon pepper
2
tablespoons Cognac or
brandy
1
( 1/4 -ounce) envelope
unflavored gelatin
3
tablespoons Monbazillac
1/4
teaspoon lemon juice
3
chives
1.
Clarify the stock or broth: Break the eggs into a small bowl, saving the shells. Remove the egg yolks; they can be kept covered in the refrigerator for another use. Pour the stock into a medium saucepan, and add the egg whites and reserved shells, whisking the contents thoroughly. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring gently but constantly. Reduce the heat so the stock barely simmers; stop stirring and cook an additional 15 minutes. The eggs will coagulate to form a “raft,” drawing impurities from the stock. Remove the pan from the heat and gently push the raft down to ladle out the stock; be careful not to disturb the raft and cloud the stock. Discard the raft. Measure the amount of stock; you will need 1 3/4 cups. If you have more than 1 3/4 cups, return it to a clean saucepan, simmer and reduce. Set aside.
2. Rinse the chicken
livers under cold water, and pat dry on paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until melted and sizzling. Add the chicken livers and sauté until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, stirring until the onions are tender and browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat if the onions start to brown too quickly. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Place the chicken livers
and onions in a food processor. Add one-fourth cup of the chicken stock to the skillet, moistening the bottom of the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan and pour the stock and drippings into the food processor. Add the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, nutmeg, salt, pepper and Cognac. Purée until smooth.
4. With the processor running,
add the remaining butter piece by piece through the feed tube, and continue to process until all the butter has been incorporated. This makes slightly more than 2 cups of pâté.
5. Pour the liver pâté into a 3-cup oval casserole. Chill it in the refrigerator, uncovered, until it sets up and is firm, about 1 hour. Once the pâté is set, cover the casserole with plastic wrap, pulling it tight over the top of the dish so it does not touch the pâté and refrigerate overnight.
6. Place one-fourth cup
of the chicken stock in a small bowl. Drizzle the powdered gelatin over the stock to moisten and soften the gelatin. Pour 1 1/4 cup of chicken stock into a small saucepan, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Pour the softened gelatin into the pan, stirring or whisking constantly until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat.
7. Pour the gelatin-infused stock
into a small metal bowl, and stir in the Monbazillac and lemon juice. Put the bowl over another bowl filled with ice water to cool the mixture. Stir gently until the gelatin just begins to thicken but is not yet set. Immediately remove the bowl from the ice water bath.
8. Remove the pâté
from the refrigerator and decorate the top of it with the chives. Gently spoon about one-half cup of the gelatin mixture over the top in an even layer. Place the pâté back in the refrigerator and chill until the gelée is set, about 45 minutes.
9. Pour the remaining gelée
into a shallow glass dish and chill until it is set.
10. When you are ready
to serve the pâté, place the pâté dish on a platter. Coarsely cut or chop the gelée from the shallow glass dish into half-inch cubes and spread them around the pâté on the platter. Serve with crisp toasted French bread.
Each serving:
166 calories; 9 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 13 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 191 mg. cholesterol; 170 mg. sodium.
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Poached eggs in white wine gelée
Total time:
About 2 hours, 15 minutes, plus chilling time
Servings:
4
Note: From Donna Deane
4 eggs
1/4 cup fresh peas
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sliced carrots, 1/8 -inch thick
1/4 cup haricots verts, cut into 1/4 -inch pieces
4 asparagus tips
1 cup diced leeks (white parts only)
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup finely diced celery
3 peppercorns
1/2 small bay leaf
1 sprig parsley
1 sprig fennel
1 small sprig thyme
3 tablespoons Sauvignon Blanc
1 ( 1/4 -ounce) envelope
unflavored gelatin
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon chervil leaves
Salt and pepper
1. Fill a large sauté
pan with water and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to keep the water at a steady simmer. Break each egg into a small saucer or ramekin and slip the eggs into the water one at a time. Simmer until the whites of the eggs are done but the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Lift each egg out of the water with a slotted spatula into a shallow glass dish filled with cold water. Refrigerate the eggs in the water until you’re ready to assemble.
2. Bring a small saucepan
of water to a boil over high heat, then adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Add the peas and salt and cook about 2 minutes until tender yet crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the peas from the saucepan to a bowl of ice water fitted with a strainer. Once the peas are chilled, lift them out of the ice water in the strainer and gently pat dry on paper towels. Repeat the same process with the carrot slices, cooking them for 1 1/2 minutes. Then the haricots verts, cooking them 2 minutes. Cook the asparagus tips about 2 minutes, until tender. Refrigerate the vegetables until you are ready to assemble the gelée.
3. To make the stock,
add the leeks, carrots and celery to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan with 2 tablespoons water. Sweat the vegetables over medium low heat in the water until slightly softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in 4 cups water,
the peppercorns, bay leaf, parsley, fennel and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Skim off foam, if necessary.
5. Remove the stock
from the heat and strain through a cheesecloth-lined, fine-mesh strainer. Gently press the vegetables to extract the liquid. Discard the vegetables. You should have about 2 cups stock. Place the stock back in the pan over high heat and reduce to 1 1/3 cups.
6. Place the wine
in a small bowl and gently sprinkle the gelatin over, allowing it to moisten in the wine. Stir the wine-soaked gelatin into the reduced stock until it is dissolved, then stir in the lemon juice and salt. Chill the gelatin in a metal bowl over another bowl of ice water until it just begins to thicken but is not yet set. Immediately remove the gelatin from the ice bath.
7. Stir the blanched peas,
carrots and haricots verts into the thickening gelatin; they should be suspended in it. Spoon about one-fourth cup of the gelatin mixture into the bottom of each of four lightly oiled 6-ounce ramekins. Press 3 or 4 chervil leaves into the gelatin of each ramekin. Then put a well-drained poached egg on top. Cover each egg with the remaining gelatin-vegetable mixture.
8. Press a blanched asparagus
tip onto the top of each ramekin so the asparagus is covered in gelée. Press a few chervil leaves into the gelatin over the top of each ramekin.
9. Put the ramekins
on a tray and chill until set, at least 2 hours or overnight. To unmold, run a knife around the edge of each ramekin. Put the bottom of each ramekin under warm water and shake to release from the dish. Turn upside down onto a plate or platter to serve.
Each serving:
101 calories; 9 grams protein; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 5 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 211 mg. cholesterol; 807 mg. sodium.
