Tongue in Aspic

Rinse the tongue, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Drain the water and rinse the tongue again. Cover with fresh water, add the whole peeled onion and bay leaves, and cook over low heat with the lid on for 2–2.5 hours. About 30 minutes before it's done, add salt and the whole peeled carrot.

Remove the cooked tongue from the broth and transfer it to cold water to cool. Once cooled, peel off the skin (after chilling like this, it comes off easily).

Slice the tongue into thin pieces about half a centimeter thick.

Prepare the garnishes. Using the dull edge of a vegetable peeler (or any other suitable tool), make four shallow grooves along the sides of the cooked carrot. Then slice the carrot into thin rounds — they'll come out looking like cute little flowers.

Using a knife, score grooves along the lemon in the same way, cutting away strips of the peel. Then slice the lemon into thin rounds.

Soak the gelatin in 100 ml of water and let it sit for 10 minutes (or for the time indicated on the package).

Strain the broth through a tightly woven linen cloth or several layers of cheesecloth. You will need 700 ml of broth. Add the lemon juice and adjust salt if needed. If the broth has cooled, heat it until hot (but not boiling), then add the gelatin and stir thoroughly until completely dissolved.

Prepare several individual plates or one large mold. Arrange the tongue slices in a single layer.

Arrange the garnishes on top. Using a spoon, ladle a very thin layer of broth over everything, drizzling just a little over each garnish. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes, or place in the freezer for 5–10 minutes. This allows the broth to set and hold the garnishes in place. If you pour in too much broth at once, the garnishes will float to the top and the presentation won't look as nice.

Then pour broth over the entire surface of the plate. Refrigerate for 3–4 hours until fully set.

Tongue in aspic is sure to make a stunning centerpiece on any holiday table.