Oeufs en Gelée (Eggs in Aspic better know as Jell-O)

As I have ordered/made/tried items from my book 1000 Foods to Eat Before you Die, there have been a few that I have really had to wonder about.  This is one of those dishes.  Even the name “Eggs in Aspic” sounds unappetizing to me… French in origin, this dish, supposedly, is found in very charcutier store in France. Maybe COVID will end someday and I can go back to France and check this out.  Until then, I made the dish.  Essentially, vegetable stock is reduced until thick and then it is further thickened by using gelatin.  Spoonful’s of the herbed, wine-laced, thickened stock is spooned into small ramekins, topped with a poached egg and more spoonful’s are ladled into the cup along with a few heads of asparagus, a few green peas, a few mini slices of tomato.  The entire thing is allowed to set for several hours and then eaten cold.  HMMMM. 

“An egg is always an adventure; the next one may be different.”
Oscar Wilde

I do know that I had to say to myself “Vegetable Jell-O”.     Indeed, this is vegetable Jell-O plus a runny, COLD, poached egg.  I am not a fan of runny eggs just in general and then to eat them cold is, at a minimum off-putting.  But this is a 1000 Food and so, I let the adventure begin. Let me say that it is really delicious and a wonderful thing to have for an afternoon lunch. Throw in a glass of champagne and the adventure is even better.