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Prep time
30 minutes
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Cook time
20 minutes
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Serves
4
Author Notes
I discovered verrines on a trip to France in the early nineties. It was a neat idea to serve something in a glass (‘verrine’ in French means a glass container) instead on a plate -- things look and taste different when presented vertically. I was hooked. I kept making verrines for a while; desserts of course were a natural starting point, but I found savory verrines, such as this salad in a glass, far more intriguing. What I love about verrines is the element of a surprise, I love that you have to dig in, as if searching for a treasure, and I love that there are different components and textures that come together in just one spoonful. This is a verrine I make in late summer, when tomatoes and corn are at their peek. Paired with olives, cucumber, lime, maple syrup, cumin, cinnamon, herbs, and of course, a smoky, crunchy bite of candied bacon, it's an absolute crowd pleaser. —QueenSashy
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Ingredients
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2
medium firm tomatoes (about 6 oz)
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1
medium cucumber (about 6 oz)
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1 cup
fresh corn (from one ear, about 6 oz)
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3 ounces
kalamata olives
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1 tablespoon
extra virgin olive oil
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2 teaspoons
lime juice
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1 teaspoon
sherry vinegar
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1 teaspoon
maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey
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1/4 teaspoon
ground cumin
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a pinch of cinnamon
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black pepper
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3-4 ounces
creme fraiche
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1 1/2 tablespoons
chives, finely minced
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1/2 teaspoon
mint, finely minced
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2
slices of bacon, cut into 3-inch-long strips
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1 teaspoon
Turbinado sugar
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1/2 teaspoon
Spanish smoked paprika
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salt
Directions
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Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the pulp and the seeds. Reserve the pulp for another use. Pat the insides of the tomatoes dry. Place the tomatoes on a paper towel, cut side down, and leave for about ten minutes so that all the liquid is absorbed. (The tomatoes should be as dry as possible -- we do not want them to release any liquid into the salad.) Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch dice.
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Peel the cucumber. Cut the cucumber in quarters lengthwise. With a sharp knife remove the seeds, so that you only have firm flesh left. Cut the cucumber into ¼-inch dice.
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Cut the olives into ¼-inch dice.
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In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, corn, and olives. Set aside.
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Prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, sherry vinegar, maple syrup, cumin, cinnamon, and a pinch of black pepper. (Do not add salt to the vinaigrette; the salad will be marinating in the fridge for a while and salt will draw the liquids out.) Whisk until the ingredients are fully blended. Taste, and adjust the favors and acidity according to your liking.
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Toss the salad with vinaigrette. Leave in the fridge for one to two hours, for flavors to come together.
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While the salad is resting make candied bacon. Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F convection bake). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the bacon slices on the sheet in a single layer and sprinkle them with the brown sugar and smoked paprika. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the bacon is caramelized and crispy. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, discard the fat and let the bacon cool completely.
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In a small bowl, mix the crème fraiche with chives and mint. Set aside.
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To serve, take the salad out of the fridge and season with salt. Spoon the salad into four wine glasses (8 oz mason jars also work well). Top with a dollop of crème fraiche and a slice of bacon. Enjoy.
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To make ahead: Verrines are a great choice for parties and gatherings. People just love them. To cut on prep time you can make some components of the dish several hours up to a day ahead. You can prepare the salad (without adding the tomatoes) and the creme fraiche, and keep in refrigerator. You can prepare candied bacon up to two hours before serving. Add the tomatoes and salt to the salad right before serving.
Aleksandra aka QueenSashy is a scientist by day, and cook, photographer and doodler by night. When she is not writing code and formulas, she blogs about food, life and everything in between on her blog, Three Little Halves. Three Little Halves was nominated for 2015 James Beard Awards and the finalist for 2014 Saveur Best Food Blog Awards. Aleksandra lives in New York City with her other two halves, Miss Pain and Dr. V.
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