Kholodets Ramunas
My sister Mischa and I often rode horses, saddleless through the Lithuanian pastures of our youth. On one occassion, my sister’s steed Ramunas took a tumble into a flooded creek. Hobbled, he had to be euthanized by my hand. My sister and I took him apart bit by bit and brought him back home where we ground his bones to aspic. My first Kholodets recipe, which I lovingly call Kholodets Ramunas in his honor.
While you may substitute any meats, I recommend leg of a school prefect.
Wine Pairing: Caucasian meat calls for a clean German Gewurztreminer
Music Pairing: “Devil’s Onions” - Shriekback
serves 4
ingredients
2 lbs meats of choice
2 medium yellow onions and/or leeks
2 large carrots
2 sticks celery
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic
horseradish
instructions
Make the aspic. Soak your meats in cold water for at least 24 hours. Bring meats to a boil in pot of water. Once boiling, remove from heat and drain the water. Rinse the meat. Refill pot with water at least 1 inch above the meat. Simmer for 5 hours. During these five hours, I recommend meditating on and sketching the final plated presentation of your dish.
Add the vegetables. After 5 hours, add your vegetables and season to taste. Continue simmering for another hour. This is a good time to open up the recommended wine.
Remove the ingredients from the pot. Discard the onion, bay leafs and bones.
Add aromatics. Mince garlic and add to the broth.
Prep ingredients for aspic: using a fork, shred your meats. Slice carrots and celery into thin slices.
Layer your aspic: based on your 5 hour meditation, layer your ingredients in a glass mold of your choosing. Add enough broth to cover your ingredients
Refrigerate: at least 12 hours.
To eat: Serve with horseradish/hren. Enjoy your dish best served cold.
