Recipe - An Andalucian Aspic

175 g Canned cooked squid or baby
octopus; (6oz)
200 ml Sweet white wine; (7 fl oz)
One half teaspoon Salt
6 Black peppercorns
1 Bay leaf
2 Parsley stalks; (2 to 3)
1 Garlic clove; chopped
125 g Cooked shelled mussels;
(4oz)
125 g Cooked shelled prawns; (4oz)
One half small Red pepper
1 25 grams lon grain rice;
(1oz)
A generous handful of
coarsely chopped
; fresh parsley
1 Sachests of powdered
saffron; according to taste
(1 to 2)
2 pack Aspic powder

1. Cut the squid into 1 cm (1/2inch) rings; leave the baby octopuses
whole. Pour over the wine, add the salt, peppercorns, bay leaf,
parsley stalks and garlic and simmer gently for 2 minutes.

2. Add the mussels and prawns and turn off the heat immediately.
Allow to cool. strain and reserve the liquid.

3. Cut the pepper into thin, even strips and blanch these for 1
minute in boiling water; drain and refresh them under cold running
water, and pat dry.

4. Cook the rice in boiling, salted water until tender but not soggy;
drain it and spread it out on a plate to steam dry.

5. Stir the parsley into the cooked rice, with the pepper strips.
Make up the reserved cooking Liquid to 750 ml (1One fourth pints) with
water, add the saffron powder, sprinkle over the aspic powder and
heat gently, stirring until dissolved. Stir the seafood into the rice
mixture, discarding the bay leaf and other seasonings.

6. Rinse a 1kg (2lb) loaf tin with cold water and pour in enough aspic
liquid to cover the bottom. Chill until set.

7. Spoon in half the rice mixture and pour over half the liquid. Chill
until just beginning to set but not yet firm. Carefully spoon in the
remaining mixture, giving the tin a shake and several taps to ensure
that the liquid penetrates thoroughly.

8. Chill until set. Unmould and serve in slices, perhaps with a garlic
mayonnaise spiked with a dash of hot paprika.

Converted by MC_Buster.

NOTES : Paella is Andalucia''s equivalent of the Sunday joint. Based
on ancient styles of cooking, it combines poultry, seafood and
vegetables with saffron rice. Here, just seafood is used to make a
superbly colurful and tasty reminder of Spanish sojurns.

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.