Aspic
"Aspic"
From the treasured pages of Libreta de Cocina de María del Consuelo Villanueva
Written by María del Consuelo Villanueva
Aspic
"picar en pluma de lechuga, y se pone a cocer en suficiente agua 4 horas poniéndole hierbas, 4 cucharadas de vinagre, y una cebolla y una cucharada grande de sal. Con ½ litro del mismo caldo se pone eso y unos de aguallón picado y un huevo entero cuando se pone al fuego en cuanto comienza a hervir se aparta para que no se recoja lo sucio se cuela en un trapo limpio y se vuelve a poner a la lumbre con 20 grms de grenetina se clarifica. Se coloca en un platón la gallina sobre lechuga con sus canastitos del picadillo rosa y se decora y el aspic se pone cuajado al gusto. El picó. La gallina se pone cuando comienza a hervir el agua."
English Translation
"Shred lettuce into thin strips and put it to boil in enough water for 4 hours, adding herbs, 4 tablespoons of vinegar, an onion, and a large tablespoon of salt. With ½ liter of the same broth, add this along with some chopped capon and a whole egg when putting it on the stove. As soon as it begins to boil, remove it so that any impurities can be gathered, strain it through a clean cloth, and put it back on the heat with 20 grams of gelatin to clarify. Place the chicken on lettuce in a serving dish with small baskets of the pink picadillo for decoration, and pour the aspic over once it has set to your liking. The chicken is added when the water starts to boil."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in a narrative, almost conversational form, as was common in personal recipe books of the era. Quantities and measurements can be imprecise, guided by experience and context ('sufficient water', 'one large spoon of salt'). Spelling reflects early 20th-century norms ('grenetina' for gelatin, 'picar en pluma' for finely slicing), and instructions often presuppose familiarity with basic technique (such as clarifying broth with an egg). The language toggles between commands ('se cuece', 'se pone') and descriptions, with little punctuation, making it both charming and sometimes challenging to interpret today.
Title
Libreta de Cocina de María del Consuelo Villanueva (1920)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
María del Consuelo Villanueva
Era
1920
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A charming manuscript cookbook from the early 20th century, presenting an international array of tempting recipes—from German cakes and French tarts to lemon cookies and savory canapés—curated by María del Consuelo Villanueva for the culinary explorer.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe hails from the 'Libreta de Cocina de María del Consuelo Villanueva,' a manuscript penned in Mexico City during the early 1920s—a period of culinary cosmopolitanism in post-revolutionary Mexico. The notebook features a fusion of international recipes, reflecting the upper-class penchant for European dishes like aspic, which was then a symbol of elegance and modernity. This aspic is a classic example of French-inspired cookery—precisely jellied and decoratively presented—appearing on refined tables as a stylish appetizer or main dish. By the 1920s, gelatin (grenetina) was commercially available, making such delicate preparations more accessible to home cooks.
In María del Consuelo's kitchen, you'd find a sturdy cast iron pot or enamel stock pot over a wood or coal-fired stove for the long simmering. Skimmers or ladles were used to remove impurities, and a large kitchen cloth or butter muslin served for straining. A glass or porcelain platter and decorative jelly molds would have been employed to display the finished aspic. Single-use contemporary kitchen gadgets like electric blenders or refrigerator chillers weren't common yet, so the setting relied on cool pantries or iceboxes.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Servings
8
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce (10-14 oz), finely shredded
- 3 1/4 lbs whole chicken, cut into pieces
- 3 quarts water
- Small bunch parsley (about 1/3 oz)
- 2-3 sprigs thyme (about 1/16 oz)
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) white wine vinegar
- 1 medium onion (3.5 oz), peeled and halved
- 1 heaping tablespoon (1/2 oz) salt
- 1 whole egg
- 0.7 oz gelatin powder (or leaf gelatin, soaked; replacement for historical grenetina)
- Extra: cooked chicken meat (5 oz), diced for garnish
- Optional: small tartlets or canapés for serving
- Optional: picadillo rosa (e.g. diced beets mixed with ham and mayonnaise for color and flavor)
- Extra lettuce leaves for serving
Instructions
- Start by finely shredding a head of lettuce (about 10-14 oz) and place it in a large pot with plenty of water—around 3 quarts.
- Add a whole chicken (about 3 1/4 lbs, cut into pieces for best flavor).
- Throw in a mix of aromatic herbs (such as a small bunch each of parsley, thyme, bay leaf), 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of white wine vinegar, one peeled and halved onion (approx.
- 3.5 oz), and a heaping tablespoon (about 1/2 oz) of salt.
- Let this simmer gently for about 4 hours, skimming off any scum as it forms.
- Once done, strain the broth.
- Take 2 cups of this clear broth and place it in another saucepan.
- Add chopped chicken meat (especially from the breast or thighs, about 5 oz), and crack in one whole egg.
- Heat this gently, stirring continuously, until it just starts to simmer—do not let it fully boil, as this clarifies the aspic.
- Strain through a clean cloth or fine sieve to obtain a clear liquid.
- Return the clarified broth to the pot and dissolve 0.7 oz of powdered gelatin in it (soaked first in a little cold water, if using modern gelatin).
- Pour this into a mold or serving dish to cool and set.
- Arrange poached chicken pieces over a bed of lettuce on a platter, and add accompaniments—traditionally small canastitas (little baskets or tartlets) filled with picadillo rosa (a pink-hued chopped mixture, commonly made with beets or ham and mayonnaise at the time).
- Garnish as you like.
- Pour the set aspic over or serve sliced, as desired.
Estimated Calories
250 per serving
Cooking Estimates
We simmer the chicken and vegetables for several hours to extract flavor and gelatin, then clarify and set the broth. Prep includes chopping, assembling herbs, and shredding lettuce. Each serving offers a classic aspic with chicken and vegetables. These numbers help you plan for time and portion size.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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