Verrines are an excellent substitution to appetizer toasts for the carbs-minded, and they look really pretty (in my opinion, of course). You have to experiment a bit however, as they have to be easy to eat. Also, you don’t want to generate a large amount of trash or dishes by making verrines, so you should plan large enough containers so that one per guest is enough. You can use glass verrines (verrine actually means small glass container) or plastic verrines.
I tried the following: Smoked Trout Verrine (a sublime balance between smoky sweetness and tart pickles, my favorite), Green Farro Verrine (a classic summer indulgence), and Beet and Endive Verrine (a bold and colorful mix of flavors).
Smoked Trout VerrineĀ vegetarian
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients for 4
- 2 trout fillets, skinned, coarsely shredded
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 40 cornichons, sliced
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1/2 preserved lemon peel, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
Directions
In a large bowl, gently combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide into individual verrines.
Green Farro VerrineĀ vegan
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients for 4
- 1/2 cup farro
- 1 large heirloom tomato, cubed
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/4 red onion, thinly chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
Directions
In a pan, bring a quart salted water to a boil, and cook the farro on medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
In the meantime, in a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Add the farro when cooled. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide into individual verrines.
Beet and Endive VerrineĀ vegetarian
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Initially, I tried to use the endive as the verrine but it did not stand very well, so I ended up chopping the endives and adding them to the mixture.
Also, the recipe called for mint but I didn’t like it with the mint so I didn’t use it in the end.
Ingredients for 4
- 6 pre-cooked red beets, cut in thin julienne
- 2 endives, chopped
- 1 apple, cut in thin julienne
- 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Directions
In a large bowl, gently combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide into individual verrines.