Sohla tackles the wildest recipe yet – an aspic jelly with fish tongues and lips from the earliest known Arabic cookbook, in this episode of Ancient Recipes.
THE RECIPE
Ingredients:
– 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, coarsely ground
– 1 tablespoon dried spikenard
– 5 whole cloves
– 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
– 1 teaspoon whole long pepper
– 6 to 8 large carp heads
– ½ cup white wine vinegar
– 1 small bunch parsley, tied with twine
– 1 3-inch piece galangal, scrubbed & split in half lengthwise
– 1 3-inch piece ginger, scrubbed & split in half lengthwise
– 1 3-inch piece cassia
– 3 small onions, root trimmed & peeled
– 2 teaspoons saffron threads
Process:
1. In a double-layered piece of cheesecloth, combine coriander, spikenard, cloves, black pepper, and long pepper, and wrap in a bundle securing with twine. Wrap parsley together in a bundle and secure with twine.
2. Add carp heads to a large stockpot and cover with water. Add vinegar, parsley, galangal, ginger, cassia, onions, and the bundle of spices.
3. Cover and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, partially covered, until the heads are totally tender – about 1 hour.
4. Use tongs to remove the heads and set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain the stock and discard the solids. Return the stock to the pot.
5. With your fingers, crush the saffron threads into a small bowl. Add ¼ cup of the fish stock and set aside to bloom.
6. Pull the lips and tongues from the fish heads and add to the pot of fish stock.
7. Add the steeped saffron to the pot and gently simmer uncovered until reduced by half.
8. Portion the mixture into a serving bowl and chill until set.
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Ancient Recipes with Sohla takes the food you know and love and traces it back to its origins. In each episode, Sohla El-Waylly details the surprising history of some of our favorite dishes as she attempts to recreate the original version using historical cooking techniques and ingredients. Along the way, Sohla highlights the differences between the ancient recipe and how we would prepare the modern version today.
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