Food glossary
What is Aspic?
Aspic — The 1970s and glorious Fanny Cradock with her over-the-top creations always come to mind when aspic is mentioned. It's the transparent jelly in which cold fish, poultry and meat are sometimes served. It's used as a garnish to glaze and protect fish and other food from drying out (the clear aspic allows any decoration to be seen), and to set savoury foods in a mould. It can also be mixed with…
The 1970s and glorious Fanny Cradock with her over-the-top creations always come to mind when aspic is mentioned. It's the transparent jelly in which cold fish, poultry and meat are sometimes served. It's used as a garnish to glaze and protect fish and other food from drying out (the clear aspic allows any decoration to be seen), and to set savoury foods in a mould.
It can also be mixed with béchamel, cream or mayonnaise to make a chaudfroid sauce to coat cold pieces of chicken, fish, and so on. You can make your own but it's far easier to buy it in powder form.