TOMATO ASPIC

Tomato Aspic 

4 cups tomato juice

6 slices lemon (don't worry about seeds, they'll get strained out)

3 slices yellow onion, separated into rings

2 bay leaves

tops of one bunch of celery

several whole cloves

3 tablespoons horseradish

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins recommended)

4 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Put the tomato juice, lemon slices, onion slices, bay leaves, celery tops, and cloves in a heavy pot and simmer for 20 minutes.  While this simmers, mix together the gelatin and vinegar.  (It will be very thick.)  Strain the tomato juice mixture and add the gelatin mixture.  Stir until the gelatin has dissolved.  No lumps allowed!  (I was so worried about lumps that I strained this a second time at this point.)  Add horseradish, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce.  Taste and correct seasoning if needed.  Lightly oil a 6-cup mold.  Pour the mixture into the mold and chill until firm, several hours or overnight.  Overnight is best.  Unmold on a bed of greens.  (I forgot the greens!)  If the aspic will not come out of the pan easily, run a knife around the edge or dip the pan into a sink of hot water - just for a second! 

I have to tell you, at first I wasn't "getting" the aspic...the texture kind of threw me...but after a few more tastes, it kind of grew on me and I rather like it...if you don't want to wait until my funeral to try this, I'd suggest making it for game day or your next party...if you've never had this before it will be a conversation starter!  This recipe serves 10 to 12, but for MY funeral, whoever makes the aspic should probably double the recipe, since I'm sure they'll be a crowd, those wanting to make sure I'm really dead, in which case you could use a 10-cup Bundt pan as the mold...just a thought.