The aroma of smoked salmon when you open the package — that sweet smoke mingled with brine — immediately sets the mood. These verrines are made for those evenings when you’re hosting but don’t want to break a sweat in the kitchen. Fifteen minutes, no heat, and the result makes quite an impression.
Ingredients :
- Smoked Salmon — Choose a supple salmon with a deep pink-orange hue, not too dry on the edges. Low-quality salmon will release water into the verrine and dull the cream. It’s worth getting a decent slice — not necessarily the premium brand, but not the budget option either.
- Philadelphia — The brand makes a real difference here. Plain Philadelphia has a denser, creamier texture than most generic fresh cheeses. If you can’t find it, St Môret will do, but the cream will be a bit more watery.
- Lemon — Use a fresh lemon, not bottled juice. The zest is the most fragrant part — grate it with a microplane right before preparing the cream and you’ll smell the difference immediately. A few drops of juice for acidity, no more.
- Double Cream (Crème Fraîche) — This loosens the Philadelphia and gives it a consistency that can be worked with a spatula without force. Use thick cream preferably — liquid cream makes it too runny to hold the layers.
