A while back, Kate at Serendipity introduced me to verrines. And when I looked into it, I discovered Tartelette had posted several others (scroll down on her page to see the rest)...so unusual that I've been intrigued ever since. Needing to know more, I went online, then to the library (no luck), then to Barnes and Noble (still no luck) and finally ended up back online with Amazon. And there I discovered a little gem of a book simply entitled Verrines. However, there was a bit of a problem...it was in French. Damn. Oh well, I had to have it so I treated myself, cringing as I paid the USED price of $35!!! The only thing that makes me feel the least bit smug about this wild splurge is as of today, the cheapest one Amazon has is $88! My treasure arrived last week. I love it, love it, love it and plan to solve the language problem by using Google translate and my darling French-speaking daughter.
Verrines can be just about anything: appetizer, salad or dessert. For my trial run I chose an appetizer verrine. Now I don't have the adorable glasses that Kate and the book have, but used a small glass coffee cup. It seemed the perfect size for an appetizer as savory as this. I loved the way it turned out and served it the same night. Everyone was so enthusiastic! Here are a few other brilliant ideas from the book. The first two are both appetizers, the first one has a ratatouille base and the second is ham and cucumber. The second two are desserts, something fabulous in chocolate and the other is made with bananas and perhaps a panna cotta.
I'm going to make some these recipes for future posts, but after looking through the book it occurred to me that many of these verrines actually looked like deconstructed salads, appetizers and desserts. Why couldn't I give that idea a try? So I made a dessert I have been meaning to post: Eton Mess. And decontructed it in the brandy glass so when it's served, everyone can stir it all together and make the "mess" they're supposed to make!
Eton Mess originated at one of England's most famous public schools, Eton. As I understand, it is served during their prize-giving ceremonies. I think this translates perfectly into a dessert verrine.
Enjoy my two successful experiments, take another look at your glassware, think about what recipes would be fun showcased in each and go for it! Let me know any super inventions you come up with!
Verrine À l'italienne
Adapted from Verrines by José Maréchal
Ingredients:
60 grams (2 ounces) of black olive tapenade
50 grams (1.6 ounces) pesto
4 tomatoes
60 grams (2 ounces) sun dried tomatoes
large ball of Buffalo mozzarella
Method:
Cut the tomatoes into quarters, remove seeds and dice. Mix the tomatoes with the sun dried tomatoes in a food processor and process.
Cut thin slices of mozzarella with a cookie cutter that is exactly the size of your container.
To finish your verrine, layer tapenade, a slice of mozzarella, the tomato mixture, another slice of mozzarella and top it off with pesto. Serve with breadsticks.
Eton Mess Verrine
Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Cook with Jamie
Ingredients:
1 basic meringue recipe (or buy some ready-made)
1 pint whipping cream
1 vanilla pod, scored and seeds removed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup raspberries
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon rosewater
Method:
Have your meringues prepared in advance. Whip the cream with the vanilla seeds. Soft peaks are good enough, you don’t need it to get too stiff. Take half the fruit, mash it in a bowl with sugar, balsamic vinegar and rosewater. The other half I sliced and added a touch of sugar. Smash the meringues into smallish chunks. Bring out your glasses and layer as follows: some of the crushed fruit, some crushed meringue, some whipped cream and then some of the sliced berries. Continue until your verrine is filled and top with a nice strawberry.
Watching the Olympics has become a sport in itself. We all have our favorites, but I personally love short track skating, the halfpipe and ski cross- a new event... like motor cross on skis. And after watching skiers whipping over moguls in several events, I figure the orthopedists of the world will be very busy people.
No matter which sport you like to watch, you can't help but be impressed by all the world's atheletes. (Well, maybe not the South Korean short track skaters. And maybe not the Russian skater who thought he deserved gold.) I do, however, get annoyed with NBC and the events they choose to air. Why oh why was the U.S. vs Canada hockey game on MSNBC?? Was this not considered an important matching? Forget than I am an old Red Wings fan. Was I the only one who wanted to see this on NBC in prime time? At the very least, half of it. Every Olympics I gripe about this stuff. Probably we all do.
Anyway, I didn't want to be in the kitchen cooking last night so I dug around in my file to find something that sounded good, not too heavy, something I had never tried and of course something I could tell you about if it turned out to be wonderful. And I chose a dish with mushrooms. I love 'em. My mushroom repertoire is extensive: mushroom bread pudding; mushroom pie; mushroom quiche; mushroom soup; mushroom studel. And is there anything better over a grilled steak? I even love a fresh mushroom salad.
I've had this recipe in my file for quite a while. I've seen other versions of it but still never got around to trying mine. It's a fabulous combo of polenta and mushrooms. With the Comte cheese I had left over from Thomas Keller's grilled cheese sandwich, I had everything I needed. So we had it for dinner last night while watching the Olympics. With a tossed salad, it's just right for a light supper. I made both the polenta (which has to be refrigerated anyway) and the mushrooms late morning and then all I had to do was reheat the mushrooms and briefly fry the polenta. The left-over mushrooms are going in my omelet for the next few mornings.
What Olympic events are you watching?
Mushroom Ragout on Crispy Polenta With Comté Cheese
Adapted from Bon Appetite, December 2007
Ingredients:
For the Polenta:
2 cups whole milk
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup polenta or coarse cornmeal
Note: I used cornmeal. The original recipe called for 1 cup but it didn't get nearly thick enough so I made a second batch with 1-1/2 cups of coarse cornmeal and it was fine.
1/2 cup (packed) coarsely grated Comté cheese (or any gruyere)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
For the Mushroom Ragout:
3 tablespoons butter, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1-1/2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini, and stemmed shiitake), thickly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/3 cup (packed) coarsely grated Comté cheese ( or any gruyere)
Method:
Generously butter a 13x9x1 inch baking sheet. Bring milk, broth, and bay leaf to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat; cover and let steep 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Discard bay leaf. Bring liquid to boil. Gradually add polenta, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Stir in Comté cheese and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer polenta to prepared 13x9x1-inch baking sheet. Using wet hands, press polenta evenly over sheet to edges. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours. Cut polenta into 20 squares. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add all mushrooms and sauté until tender and browned, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and balsamic vinegar; sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Season lightly to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Rewarm mushrooms in large skillet over medium-high heat until heated through. Add broth and simmer 1 minute. Stir in crème fraîche and half of parsley. Season mushroom ragout to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add polenta squares to skillet and cook until browned, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven while cooking remaining polenta squares.
Arrange 2 polenta squares on each plate. Top each with warm mushroom ragout; sprinkle with grated Comté cheese and remaining parsley and serve.
Did you know lavender is an herb? I thought it was a flower. Well, it has a flower. The Greeks and the Romans bathed in lavender scented water....the name "lavender" is Latin from the word "lavare", and means to wash. They also used the dried flowers to scent and flavor jellies as well as other sweets. Queen Elizabeth I of England valued lavender as a conserve and a perfume. To this day, the French continue to send baby lambs to graze in fields of lavender, so their meat will be tender and fragrant.
This herb has also been used as a remedy for a range of ailments from insomnia and anxiety to depression and fatigue. Research has confirmed that lavender produces slight calming, soothing, and sedative effects when its scent is inhaled. Which is probably why lavender is such a popular fragrance in soaps, perfumes and potpourri mixtures.
Lately I've noticed more and more recipes are using lavender as an ingredient. I was also surprised to find it listed as an ingredient in Herbes de Provence. Everyone seems to have a different idea about lavender's flavor. It has been variously described as sweet, floral or lemony. I personally found it to be slightly floral and kind of woodsy. If you're going to give lavender a try in the kitchen, be sure (Unless you're fortunate enough to have it growing in your garden!) to buy culinary lavender.
And how would you use it, you ask? Here are some ideas:
- Use lavender as a substitute for thyme or marjoram.
- Lavender can also be substituted for rosemary in many bread recipes.
- The flowers can be put in sugar and sealed tightly for a couple of weeks then the sugar can be substituted for ordinary sugar for a cake, buns or custards.
A word of caution for first time users: Lavender is strong and can "overdose" a recipe unless used sparingly. Begin to experiment with lavender as a background flavor...like vanilla. You know it's there, but it's not the main player. You can use lavender flowers, buds, and leaves, sprigs, either fresh, dried or ground.
Did I forget to mention using lavender in drinks?
How about lavender lemonade?
Or place sprigs of lavender into a gin bottle and put the bottle in the freezer for summer drinks. The combination of gin and lavender make an absolutely fabulous gin and tonic!
Or try a sprig of lavender in a martini with a twist of lemon.
Recently Susan of Savoring Time in the Kitchen posted a recipe for Lavender-Lemon Pound Cake. Sounds delicious. I haven't made it yet, but I'm going to.
I've never experimented with lavender so I thought I'd begin with this caramel sauce. I adore anything caramel and the best caramels I have ever eaten had fleur de sel sprinkled on top. Sounded like a great way for me to start; besides, how could this sauce be anything other than fabulous? And it is. Fabulous. Rich, delightful and I can think of lots of things to pour it over, but vanilla ice cream is my favorite. It makes a super hostess gift or keep it in your fridge, reheat and use when you need that perfect finishing touch to your dessert. Like over a piece of angel food cake or even bread pudding.....drool.
Do you have any recipes using lavender as an ingredient?
Lavender Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce
Martha Stewart Living Magazine, February 2010
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dried lavender
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
Method:
Heat the sugar and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium to high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Bring to a boil and cook, washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming, until it is mediuim amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the heavy cream. Return to heat and cook, stirring until well combined. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lavender and salt. Stir until combined and set aside for 15 minutes. Strain. Makes about 1-1/4 cups. Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Here are some good links on cooking with lavender:
http://www.happyvalleylavender.com/lavender_recipes.html
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Lavender.htm
http://www.lavenderlovers.com/recipes/recipes.html
http://www.joys-of-lavender.com/lavender-recipes.html
http://lavenderfarms.net/hoodriverlavender/HoodRiverLavenderRecipes.htm
