Tomato Aspic with Crème Fraîche and Chives

How many of you remember Tomato Aspic? It was the “fancy” congealed tomato salad that all the ladies in town made for their garden club years ago. I’m sure it made regular appearances at church potluck dinners as well. It was certainly popular in my hometown of Aberdeen Mississippi.

My parents gave me a copy of Prime Meridian cookbook for Christmas which features the recipes of Meridian, Mississippi. Tomato Aspic occupies a prominent place in the salad section of the book. As I thumbed through the book, I was flooded with memories of my childhood.

Since I was old enough to sit at the table, I’ve been a food enthusiast. Food always conjures memories of significant times or events in my life. Thinking about Tomato Aspic, a food that I wasn’t particularly fond of at the time, transported me back to a day where Jello and congealed salads were all the rage. My grandmother always made a Ribbon Salad for Christmas. This salad had a layer of sweet cream cheese filling between layers of red and green Jello. I haven’t had it in many, many years, but I’m sure I would still love it because it would remind me of my Grandma.

I haven’t heard about or tasted Tomato Aspic in years, with one exception. I had a extraordinary Christmas Eve dinner several years ago at the restaurant of acclaimed chef, Guenter Seeger. The prix fixe dinner included an appetizer of tomato aspic. I don’t recall details of the dish, but I do remember that it was white and had a very intense tomato flavor. I never figured out how they removed the red color.

For today’s post, I’ve made the Prime Meridian version of Tomato Aspic, as a throwback to food trends of yesteryear. I gave it a bit of an update by adding crème fraîche and chives. As I mentioned before I wasn’t fond of it as a child, but the addition of the crème combined well with the bite of the tomato flavor, and my adult taste buds approved. I’m now a fan of this retro salad.

Tomato Aspic with Crème Fraîche and Chives

Ingredients

• 2 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 3 1/4 cups tomato juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Lettuce leaves
• Crème fraîche
• Sliced chives (for garnish)Instructions

1. Dissolve gelatin in hot water. Add tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, onion, celery, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

2. Brush the inside of 4 to 6 ramekins with vegetable oil. Fill ramekins with mixture and refrigerate for several hours until firm.

3. To serve, unmold and place on lettuce leaves. If needed, dip the ramkins in warm water to loosen. Spoon crème fraîche over aspic and garnish with chives.4.1.0.16

http://www.southernboydishes.com/2015/03/10/tomato-aspic-with-creme-fraiche-and-chives/

I grew up in small town Mississippi eating traditional southern fare.A lifelong foodie, I started cooking and experimenting with food at a very young age. I started Southern Boy Dishes as a creative outlet and a way to share my love of food.

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