Oeufs en gelée

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Oeufs en gelée or 'eggs in aspic' is a real retro classic. A soft boiled egg is suspended in a clear beef tea jelly with smoked ox tongue and fresh herbs which really bring the dish alive. The key is in the beef tea consommé; be patient and don't be tempted to rapid boil or stir the stock, otherwise it will become cloudy.

First published in 2022

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Beef tea

Oeufs en gelée

Equipment

  • Muslin cloth
  • 10cm dome mould 4

Method

1

To make the beef tea consommé, place a large stock pot over a medium heat with a dash of oil and place in the shallot halves, cut-side down. Cook until caramelised, then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer, covered, at 75–80ºC for 8 hours, skimming regularly to remove impurities. It should never come to the boil

2

After this time the stock shouldn’t have reduced too much, but will be dark in colour and rich in depth of flavour. Line a sieve with muslin cloth and set over another large pan. Gently ladle the stock into the sieve to pass the stock. It's important you try not to stir the stock and disturb it as little as possible whilst ladling to achieve a very clear stock and in turn, a clear jelly. The remaining meat can isn't required for this dish but can be shredded down and reserved for pie fillings or stews. The ox tongue can be peeled, cubed and smoked for use in the jelly later, however – you will need 160g for this recipe

3

Measure out 800ml of stock into a separate pan and store the rest for another use (or you can reduce it to a demi-glace to save space in the fridge or freezer.) Bring the stock to the boil then stir in the strained, bloomed gelatine leaves. Remove from the heat

  • 12 bronze gelatine leaves, bloomed in cold water
4

Now to assemble the domes. Place a chervil sprig and tarragon leaf in the bottom of each mould and spoon in a little jelly. Peel the eggs and place 1 in the centre of each mould with pieces of smoked ox tongue around it. Top up with the rest of the jelly and finish with a flat layer of the chopped chives on top. Place in the fridge to set for 4–5 hours before serving

First published in 2022

Matt is the head chef at Maison Francois in London.

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