Thursday 13 August 2015

Tomato Marjoram Granita, Greek Yogurt, Sliced Avocado & Crushed Corn Chip Verrine

A verrine is a French style of presenting an appetiser which is served layered in a small glass. For l'apéritif dinatoire, the filled glasses are placed on a tray and served to guests. Since I supersized mine, it made do as a luscious, refreshing, and nourishing lunch/light supper.


The tomato granita's icy, intense flavour along with a pronounced corn chip crunch contrasted beautifully with the mellow, avocado/yogurt creaminess.

A canning jar filled about 2/3rds

INGREDIENTS

  • Tomato granita, recipe below
  • Avocado, seed & peel removed and sliced thinly
  • Yogurt, Greek-style or regular drained overnight
  • Corn chips, put in a dish towel/plastic bag and crushed with a rolling pin
  • Garnishes: tomato chunks, avocado/lemon slices, marjoram sprigs, yogurt

For about a liter/quart of granita, chop coarsely four large tomatoes of the very best quality, mix in a small processor or crush with a potato masher, and push through a fine sieve. Add a teaspoon olive oil and salt, lemon juice, and dried marjoram to taste. Pour into a shallow dish that will fit in your freezer, like a cake pan. Every hour break up the ice crystals with a rubber spatula until frozen which can take up to around five hours. When ready to serve, scrape it with the tines of a fork. For the verrine, start with yogurt, followed by the chips, then the avocado (place the green side against the glass), and finally the granita. Repeat. Top with yogurt dollops, lemon slice, piece of tomato, and fresh marjoram sprig.


In the garden, the wild area consisting mostly of brambles, weed trees, and nettles is flourishing. Sheltering lizards, birds, mice, and hedgehogs, it contributes greatly to biodiversity.

The wild blackberries have good taste but too many tough bits so I use them for making coulis

The peppers are turning red, dressing up their spot to the hilt.

Piments des Landes are mildly hot when green but sweet when red 

The broccoli and Brussels sprouts sowed in pots about six weeks ago are ready to be transplanted...


...into their beds.

All twenty-four crucifers will go into the ground within the week

Most of our dahlias are dwarf or sturdy, upright taller ones because if I can avoid staking a plant, I do so. They will continue to nourish insects all the way into autumn.


Dirac the Young Cat has several favourite spots: the asparagus patch, the bit of room between the raspberry bushes and the sauvage space, and assorted window sills overlooking the front garden and the potager.

He sometimes shuns the towel on the sill for the Calm One's decrepit jacket spread on the potting table

If he hears an intriguing sound, he just lifts his head to check if a sprint into the potager is merited.

Not now, maybe next time?

À la prochaine!

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