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.

Tips and tricks

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