Recipe: Jellied Beef Broth (pecha)

Don:

I found this on the web. (I have not tried this
recipe.) I hope it helps.

Jellied Beef Broth (pecha)

Soup bones -- as many as you like
3-4 large onions
5-6 bay leaves
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
3-4 cloves of garlic, either whole or crushed
3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice (you can also use red wine vinegar or cider vinegar)
Pimento stuffed olives --sliced about 3/4 cup
1 package unflavored gelatin (just in case --may I refer you to the Gefilte fish recipe for the method?
--(Drop the gelatin in and reheat if the mixture does not jell!)) SSHHH it's a secret.

This recipe is all day affair. You may wish to start at midnight in hopes of being ready for your
dinner the next evening! OK It's not so bad. Stay awake watching the pot boil. It is a good cure for
insomnia.

Put the bones in the largest pot that you own. Cover the bones with cold water. Bring to a boil.
Keep a good book handy while you wait. A watched pot never boils, but just turn you head away
for a few seconds, and you need the bucket brigade to clean up the mess. You know how it is.

Once boiled, simmer for about 20 minutes until the scum starts to form on top. Skim the scum.
HINT: Scum skims easier if you use a WET spoon. (Don't ask--wash the spoon in COLD water.)
Add everything except the lemon juice and olives.

Cover and simmer at a LOW heat for at least another hour, then skim the scum again. Now you can
relax. Read your book, watch TV, or better yet study Auntie Rivka's recipes.

Cover the pot, but leave a little air space so that the pot does not boil over, and simmer on LOW
for another 3 hours. (I told you this was not an "instant" recipe) Relax. Nothing will happen. uh, uh,
uh, do NOT keep snooping. Do NOT turn the heat up. LEAVE IT ALONE. As Auntie would say
"is it bothering you? So...why are you bothering it...Go away!"

When the meat is falling away from the bones you are done. Not before. Take the bones out. Cool.
Cut the meat off the bones. Cut the meat into cubes or little strips. Strain the liquid. Remember to
put another pot under the strainer. This is very important. If you don't know why, try it without this
pot. You will soon find out!

Now put the pot with the strained liquid back on the stove. Turn on the heat. Put in the strips of
meat and the lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat IMMEDIATELY. Pour half of the
liquid into an oblong pyrex loaf pan. Put it in the fridge or if you are in a hurry put it in the freezer.
Check on it every couple hours of so (sooner if in the freezer.)

When it starts to jell take it out of the fridge or freezer. If it doesn't jell (no need to wait several days
for it to jell) CHEAT--reheat the entire liquid, this time adding the package of unflavored gelatin,
and repeat the step of putting it in to cool.

If it does jell, and of course it will: Spread a layer of the stuffed olives on top of the hardened jell.
Ok so you want to use whole stuffed olives. I am not looking, go ahead. Did I tell you to drain the
olives first? Drain the olives first.

Now pour the remaining liquid over the layer of olives. Return to the fridge or freezer. When just
about set, take out of the fridge and once again put a few SLICES of stuffed olives on top of the jell
as a garnish. Return to fridge for the final setting.

To turn out of pan: Dip the loaf pan in hot water FOR A FEW SECONDS ONLY I do this by
filling the sink about 3-4 inches full of very hot water. Notice I said DIP. Do not soak, you will unjell
the whole thing, and you will have to start all over again. So be careful!

Put your serving plate on top of the loaf pan. GENTLY turn the pan upside down so that the plate is
on the bottom and the loaf pan in on top. Put the plate and loaf pan down on a solid counter. Using
BOTH HANDS GENTLY life the loaf pan up. The jellied roll should come up. DO NOT FORCE
IT OR IT WILL FALL APART! (You will get an "F") If it doesn't come out easily, return the loaf
pan to the hot water bath for a few more SECONDS. Of course it came out perfectly, didn't it?

I serve this on a platter with two sliced hard-boiled eggs, artistically laid on the sides of the jell. I
alternate a layer of thinly sliced egg with thinly sliced cucumber and thinly sliced tomato as a garnish.
A sprig of dill or parsley on top adds a nice touch. Enjoy!