Virgin Mary Aspic Recipes

Steps:

• Cut the celery into large dice and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the horseradish, shallot, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, celery salt, and kosher salt, and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher, add the tomato juice, and stir.
• Pour into glasses and serve with the top half of a celery stalk including leaves.

Steps:

• Cut the celery in large dice, including the leaves, and puree in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the horseradish, shallot, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, kosher salt, Tabasco and lime juice and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher, add the tomato juice, and stir.
• Pour into tall glasses and serve each with the top half of a celery stalk.

Steps:

• Cook shallots and celery in olive oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add puréed tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seeds and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes. Pour tomato mixture through a sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth into a clean 3-quart saucepan, pressing hard on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Bring tomato broth just to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce.
• While tomato broth comes to a boil, stir together lemon juice and vodka in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over vodka mixture. (Spoon vodka mixture over any powdered gelatin remaining on top.) Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Lightly oil a 1 1/2- to 2-quart nonreactive shallow baking pan (2 inches deep).
• Add gelatin mixture to hot tomato broth, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Pour into baking pan and chill, uncovered, until firm, at least 6 hours.
• To unmold aspic, run a small sharp knife around edge, then dip baking pan into a larger pan of warm water, 15 to 20 seconds. Put a cutting board over baking pan, then carefully invert aspic onto board and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Steps:

• Quarter medium tomatoes and chop celery. In a food processor purée quartered tomatoes until smooth and transfer to a heavy saucepan. Add celery, basil, salt, and sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Force mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids.
• Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water. In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over water and let soften 1 minute. Add gelatin mixture to hot tomato mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in horseradish juice, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Set bowl in bowl of ice water and stir until cool. Divide tomato mixture among four 1/2-cup molds or ramekins. Chill aspics, loosely covered, until firm, at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days.
• In a small bowl whisk together oil, remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Dip bottom of 1 mold or ramekin into a bowl of hot water 3 seconds and run a thin knife around edge. Invert a plate over mold or ramekin and invert aspic onto plate. Unmold remaining aspics, 1 at a time, in same manner.
• Surround aspics with cherry or currant tomatoes and drizzle tomatoes with vinaigrette. Garnish tomatoes with basil.