Long ago, and far away, we cooked our veggies, except for cucumbers. I "heard" older women speak of Tomato Aspic, but I wanted no part of olives and uncooked veggies in jello.Yuk! UnAmerican! If the veggies weren't cooked, I wouldn't eat them.
Life blessed me with all the things I didn't like or was afraid of. Ever curious, I asked a dear Southern friend what a Tomato Aspic was. She smiled wide. Her eyes dilated. Annabell sighed. "I haven't had it in years. I put baby shrimp and olives in mine." It wasn't on my bucket list, but for Annabel, I would try.
I got busy being Methodist and made Tomato Aspic with Plan B to buy a cake from Kroger. I added chopped green and yellow bell peppers, green and black olives, Bumblebee baby shrimp, blanched asparagus tips and a finely chopped vidalia onion. The inverted dish fit perfectly on the found-in-the-closet platter. I felt confident the presentation would please the eye first, and hoped the taste would come close to what they remembered. Drum roll! It was a hit! Ladies not only enjoyed it at dinner, they took servings home. I came home with nothing more than a lick left.
Tomato
Aspic
2
envelopes Knox Gelatin
½
cup V-8 Juice
2
½ cups V-8 Juice
1
tsp. salt
¼
tsp. pepper
1/8
tsp sugar
2
tsp. onion juice
2
tsp. vinegar
1/8
tsp. tobasco
Dissolve
gelatin in 1/2 cup V-8.
Heat
2 ½ cups V-8.
Ingredient
options: artichoke hearts; asparagus; green
or black olives; green and other peppers; celery; shrimp; or whatever you
like.
Mix all ingredients
together and refrigerate in a ring mold, muffin tins, 8 x 8 dish, or your choice. If you plan to invert it, grease the container first.
Cottage
Cheese Topping
12
oz. cottage cheese
3
spring (green) onions chopped
¼
cup mayonnaise
1/8
tsp. pepper
¼
tsp. salt
Mix
together
If you used a ring mold, place the topping in
the center. If not, put it on the side or in a separate bowl.
2013 Red Convertible Travel Series
