Vegetable Aspic

Ingredients

• 1 stalk basil
• 50 g sun‑dried tomatoes
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 400 ml Mediterranean vegetable broth
• 200 g carrots (2 carrots)
• 150 g Celery Root (1 piece)
• 250 g leek (1 stalk)
• 250 g Zucchini (1 Zucchini)
• Salt
• 150 g peas (frozen)
• 1 tsp agar‑agar
• 100 ml red wine vinegar
• 2 Eggs
• 75 g pickled cucumbers (4 pickles)
• 25 g capers (jar)
• 3 spring onions
• 4 Stalks Parsley
• 150 ml sour cream
• 4 tbsp yogurt salad dressing
• Pepper

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash basil. Remove leaves and combine with sun‑dried tomatoes and fennel seeds in the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then let steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a sieve and allow to cool.

2. 2.

   While the broth steeps, peel carrots and celery root and cut into very fine strips. Clean leek, wash, and cut white and pale green parts into very fine strips. Wash zucchini, dry, grate, and cut into very fine strips. Cook vegetable strips one after another in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain, shock in cold water and let dry on kitchen paper. Boil peas in salted water for 1 minute, shock and drain. Dry all vegetables on kitchen paper.

3. 3.

   Fill four 250‑ml canning jars with the prepared vegetables.

4. 4.

   Whisk agar‑agar into 5 tbsp of the broth until smooth.

5. 5.

   Heat remaining broth with vinegar. Stir in dissolved agar‑agar and bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes with occasional stirring. Season with salt to taste.

6. 6.

   Pour the hot liquid into the jars and let cool. Refrigerate for 6 hours.

7. 7.

   Peck eggs, hard‑boil in boiling water for 8 minutes. Shock, peel and let cool slightly, then roughly chop.

8. 8.

   Dice pickles finely. Chop capers. Wash spring onions, trim and slice into thin rings. Wash parsley, shake dry, remove leaves and finely chop.

9. 9.

   Combine eggs, pickles, capers, onion rings and parsley with sour cream and yogurt dressing to make a remoulade. Season with salt and pepper.

10. 10.

    To serve, briefly place jars in hot water and pour the aspic onto plates. Serve with the remoulade, accompanied by toasted whole‑grain bread or fried potatoes.