Shimmering aspic sparkles around a smooth creamy chicken or turkey mousse-a perfect party make-ahead.
Makes 6 servings.
2 cans condensed chicken broth
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
1 can (3 3/4 ounces) liver pate
1 tablespoon prepared mustared with horseradish
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
6 thin slices cooked ham
Pimiento
Celery tops
Parsley
Procedure:
1. Empty broth into a 4-cup measure: add enough water to make 4 cups. Sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup of broth mixture in small saucepan; let soften 5 minutes. Heat slowly, stirring constantly, until gelatin is completely dissolved; add to remaining broth. Pour 1 cup into a 9x9x2-inch baking pan; chill until set (for decorating platter).
2. Whirl diced chicken or turkey with 1 3/4 cups of remaining gelatin mixture, 1/3 at a time, in container of electric blender until smooth. Turn into a large bowl; stir in liver pate and mustard. Chill mixture until it is thick enough to mound softly when spooned; fold in whipped cream. (This is the mousse.)
3. Meanwhile, roll the thin ham slices into cone shapes; file inside foil cones (directions follow0. Refrigerate. Pour about 1/3 cup gelatin into a 5-cup ring mold; set in a pan of ice and water (chill remaining gelatin until syrupy). When almost set or sticky-firm, arrange cutouts of pimiento and celery or parsley leaves on gelatin; spoon about 1/4 cup of the chilled syrupy gelatin over and around decorations.
4. Spoon mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a large notched tip; pipe mousse into cones to fill them; place on a rack so they wont roll around; chill. Pipe a generous layer of mousse on top of the gelatin in mold, leaving a space next to side of mold, Spoon remaining gelatin down side of mold, then pipe in remaining mousse; smooth out top. Chill several hours, or until completely set.
5. To unmold: Loosen around edges with a small knife; dip mold quickly in and out of pan of hot water. Cover with serving plate; turn upside down; shake gently to release mousse; lift off mold. Remove filled cones from foil molds. Arrange cones in center of mold with parsley.
6. Cut gelatin in square pan into cubes; spoon around mold. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Foil Cones:
For each cone, tear off a 6-inch piece of heavy-duty foil from an 18-inch-wide roll. Fold each piece in thirds to make a square; fold crosswise to make a triangle. Using center of longest side of triangle as tip of cone, start at one side and roll up to form a cone.
