Apple and prosciutto verrines

Portions:

Ingredients

500 ml (2 cups) yellow-fleshed potatoes (Yukon Gold type), cubed
30 ml (2 tablespoons) old-fashioned 15% cream
15 ml (1 tablespoon) finely chopped fresh oregano
75 ml (1/3 cup) grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
60 ml (1/4 cup) each: prosciutto and dried cranberries, chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 red apple, unpeeled and diced
30 ml (2 tablespoons) toasted pecans*, finely chopped
Thin pieces of apple, dried cranberries and oregano leaves for garnish

* To toast the walnuts, heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and sauté for about 1 minute, or until fragrant and lightly toasted.

Preparation

In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potatoes for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to the pan. Add the cream and, using a potato masher, mashed potato the potatoes until smooth and creamy. Add oregano, cheese, salt and pepper. Using a spatula, gently stir until the cheese is completely melted. Keep warm.
In a skillet, sauté prosciutto and shallot over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add cranberries and apple pieces and cook for 3 minutes, or until apples are lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Divide apple mixture evenly among 12 60-ml (2-oz.) verrines and top with mashed potatoes. Add toasted pecans and garnish with a piece of apple, dried cranberries and oregano leaf.

Prepare the verrines without garnish on the morning of the reception and refrigerate. Just before serving, reheat the verrines for a few minutes in a bain-marie or microwave oven, then decorate each one. Enjoy with a glass of wine.

This recipe is courtesy of the following website: www.iga.net