The American Favorites section is where we have placed recipes for dishes that have become American favorites; these recipes are for foods that are enjoyed by many people throughout this great country of ours. In this particular section, I won't assign a specific part of the country as being the origin of the recipe.
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2 tsp vegetable oil 1 T fresh tarragon, or 1 tsp dried
½ c chicken stock, fresh or canned tarragon
and thoroughly degreased 1 T tomato paste
¼ c dry white wine 1 T lemon juice
1 pound raw shrimp, shelled and 1 tsp salt
deveined Pinch of white pepper
1 envelope unflavored gelatin 1 c heavy cream, chilled
¼ c cold water 1 c freshly made mayonnaise, or a
¼ c finely chopped onion good unsweetened commercial variety
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Brush a 1½-quart decorative mold, preferably a fish mold, with the 2 tsp
of oil and then invert it on a paper towel and let the excess oil drain off.Bring the chicken stock and wine to a boil in a small stainless-steel or enameled saucepan, and drop in the shrimp. Boil rapidly, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and are firm to the touch. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Soften the gelatin in the ¼ c of cold water for 5 minutes, then stir it into the stock and simmer over low heat for a minute or two, stirring constantly, until the gelatin has completely dissolved. Cool to lukewarm. Cut the shrimp into ¼-inch pieces and combine it with the stock, the chopped onion and tarragon in the container of an electric blender. Blend at high speed until the mixture is a smooth purée. Then scrape it into a mixing bowl and stir in the tomato paste, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.
With a whisk or rotary or electric beater, whip the cream only to the point when it holds soft peaks on the beater when it is lifted out of the bowl. Set the bowl of puréed shrimp into a larger bowl filled with ice and stir it with a rubber spatula until it begins to thicken slightly. Immediately fold in the whipped cream, continuing to fold until streaks of white no longer show. Pour the mousse into the mold, smooth the top with a spatula and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.
To unmold the mousse, run a small knife around the inside edge of the mold and dip the bottom of the mold briefly in hot water. Place a chilled platter on top of it, invert it and tap it once or twice on the table. The mousse should slide out easily. Serve with mayonnaise if desired. Serves 4.
