“Verrines” took the French appetizer world by storm about ten years ago and these days frequently show up at a French dinner parties. They are essentially little shot glasses elegantly filled with anything from gaspacho to tuna tartare. The reason I particularly affection them is because, unlike canapés, they are usually gluten free and you can be very inventive with them.
This particular verrine recipe is decadent and delicious. The velvety texture of the cauliflower together with the really flavorful savory crumble is a match made in heaven. Insanely good. And despite its fancy pants image, it’s actually pretty easy to put together. You could also serve this as an “amuse-bouche” to set the tone for a fancy dinner.
Note: For those of you who want a lower fat content, replace the heavy cream with good quality chicken broth.
Makes 12 shot glasses
Ingredients
Cream
- 1 cauliflower, broken up into small florets
- 2/3 cup heavy cream (can be replaced by chicken broth)
Crumble
- 1/4 cup oatmeal (gluten free)
- 3 tbsp gluten free flour
- 2 tbsp crushed walnuts
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 heaping tbsp Roquefort or your favorite blue cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Steam or boil the cauliflower until tender and easy to break with a spoon. Drain and place in a blender.
- Add the cream to the cauliflower and blend. Season with salt and pepper. It should have a thick consistency. Set aside to cool and then refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Mix the crumble ingredients in a small bowl until crumbly
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put in the oven until golden. This should take around 15 minutes or so, depending on your oven. Let cool.
- When ready to serve, pour the cauliflower cream into the shot glasses and sprinkle crumble on top.
