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22 January 2010

Tea Verrines with Citrus Fruits

This time of the year we’re trying to eat lighter, to counteract the rich foods we ate over the holidays. I saw this recipe on Tartelette’s blog, and bookmarked it right away, knowing that when the blood oranges came in, I’d want to make it.


This is a verrine of citrus fruits and pomegranate seeds in a jelly made from tea. Tartelette made this with white tea and pink grapefruit. It was (of course) gorgeous. I wanted to use a combination of blood oranges and regular oranges for this I also threw in a pink grapefruit, because I had it and because the blood oranges weren’t very red. Not red at all, in fact--just orange with some red specks.


I used a rooibus tea, flavored with bergamot (rooibus Earl Gray). Aside from the fact that I like this tea, it had the body to stand up to the blood oranges. Also I didn’t have any white tea. How can that happen? I have two drawers full of tea of every possible color--green, red, black, but no white. I guess that eliminates me from the tea-collector-of-the-month award. And I thought I was a shoe-in. Tsk.


I used less gelatin in my version, because I like a soft jelly. These were frankly wonderful. I really liked them, and I can see that they’ll become a summer favorite here. The only problem will be finding the blood oranges in the summer. However, we'll have peaches, and peaches can make up for a lot of things.


Tea Verrines with Citrus Fruits

Adapted from Tartelette


2 sheets gelatin

2 cups boiling water

2 Tablespoons rooibus Earl Gray tea

6-8 sugar cubes

8 oranges

6 blood oranges

1 red grapefruit

Seeds from 1/2 pomegranate


  • Soak the gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes.
  • Add the tea to the boiling water and steep for about 5-7 minutes. Add sugar to taste. I didn’t want to make this sweet, but just to knock the little bitter, sharp edge off the taste.
  • Squeeze the gelatin sheets to get rid of most of the water, and add them to the hot tea mixture. Stir to mix well. Leave to cool while you segment the fruit.
  • Segment the fruit by cutting the top and bottom off, then slicing the peel off, taking with it a little bit of the fruit. Then, holding the dripping, peeled fruit over a bowl, cut carefully between the membranes to free each segment. Squeeze the remains to extract the juice. You won’t use the juice in this recipe, but it’s great with breakfast.
  • Arrange the citrus and pomegranate seeds in 8 verrines, pour the cooled tea mixture carefully over them, and chill overnight.


Enough for 8



Notes:

  • I used sheet gelatin, because that’s what I have. I prefer it because there is never that scummy layer at the bottom if you don’t get it dissolved completely. After soaking in cold water for 10 minutes, these dissolve totally as soon as they hit hot liquid. If you only have the powdered kind, I think the conversion is 1 teaspoon powder for one sheet. Don’t hold me to that, but when I see other recipes, that seems right to me.
  • To seed a pomegranate without ending up wearing the lovely color of the juice, cut the top off, score it along the sides, and do the rest in a large bowl under water. The seeds sink and the membranes (mostly) float, so it’s easy to separate them.
  • The short, broad verrines I used for this hold a cup of liquid if you fill them right to the brim.
  • If you don’t have a bazillion verrines sitting around your house (why don’t you?), this would also be pretty in wine glasses, or champagne flutes. If you still have some of the old-fashioned flat bowl style champagne glasses, they would be splendid, I think. Brandy snifters would be nice too. You could, of course, just use a bowl, but what fun would that be?




36 comments:

La Table De Nana said...

How fun are these? I see lots of possibilities and they are not camera shy:) So pretty!

Carol at Serendipity said...

Kate,

How lovely. The photographs are spectacular. Don't think I have heard the term verrine before. I shall have to google it!

It's raining today (because we got the car washed yesterday) so it will be a good project day.

Have a great weekend.

Carol

Zurin said...

Kate, they are beautiful. the colours are brilliant and so versatile too. Im tempted to make some 2morrow.:)

Kathy Walker said...

These look delightful. Great photographs! I love grapefruit and oranges...temptation....

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

What a delightful way to eat healthy and light! They are so pretty and I think there will be many ways to make these with different citrus fruit. I need to find some pretty verrine-worthy glassware.

Deana Sidney said...

Beautiful rendition... great pics..Cool !

Kate at Serendipity said...

Monique, LOL, no they're not shy at ALL!

Carol, a verrine is just a small glass. Here, they're all the rage and you see them everywhere. I think I have about four dozen of them. But you can just any pretty glass. I think it probably should be clear glass for these. So YOU'RE the one who's responsible for this rain???

Zurin, DO, DO! You won't be sorry. The only problem is that you have to wait for them to jell.

Kate, I KNOW. That's what grabbed me about them too!

Susan, you can use any glass...

Pei-Lin said...

Oh, Kate! The verrines look so gorgeous! I myself am a big verrine fan! I've tried sweet ones but not savory ones yet. Love how the fruits would float around in the jelly! So pretty! Will try to make verrines again once Chinese New Year is over. This time around, it's our turn to get overfed! Sigh ...! LOL!

Pei-Lin

Semidipapavero said...

Wow! Amazing and refreshing! I will done it!

food with style said...

prettiest thing i have seen in ages, i am in living in a wet world of gray, these are singing to me!

did you get my email asking about what books you like? let me know, heading out tomorrow so i can look around~

Hungry Dog said...

Wow, these are stunning. I love all of the wonderful citrus recipes I have been seeing recently--so inspiring.

Amanda said...

These are really beautiful- I think they are a good enough reason for me to buy some verrines!

Barbara said...

You are really having fun with verrines, Kate! I loved the last one and this one is even better. The colors are magnificent. And the POP! you'll get in your mouth when you bite into a pomegrante seed will be perfect.

Anonymous said...

Looks delicious! Rooibos is the only tea we use in our home..beautiful with no caffeine and loaded with antioxidants..thanks for a lovely recipe!
Ronelle

Bob said...

Sounds like a great summer thing. Well, any time really, but summer in particular. Heh. A little splash of some kind of liqueur probably wouldn't hurt either.

Brooke said...

These look delicious!

Kitchen Butterfly said...

Loving your verrines....amd thinking of getting myself a box of 36 different shapes. My husband might send me packing....I may not have a place to keep them either so it may not be worth it!!!!!!! May have to live on your blog till I make room to acquire some. Love this!!!!

Queenie said...

oh! this one is great for simple party..

Carolyn Jung said...

I love a rich, fattening dessert as much as the next gal. But truth be told, sometimes you DO want something a little lighter and more refreshing. This fits the bill perfectly.

theUngourmet said...

I truly think this is the prettiest jelly I've ever laid eyes on! I love it! It look so pretty in those cups. Wonderful photos!

pam said...

I am completely smitten with this. I am so swayed by pretty food!

Pam said...

I love Blood Oranges and can never wait for them to appear at the market. I am having a dinner party this Saturday night, and I am going to use this recipe! I think it will knock the socks off my foodie guests.
In fact, why don't you come along, bring the hubby we will make a nice party.
The pics are beautiful!
Pam

Linda said...

These look fabulous and so refreshing! I would love one right this minute!

Cam de la Ron said...

This is such a wonderful recipe. I have never seen anything quite like it, and it looks so delicious as well as wholesome. Very nice post!

Sally said...

what fun! I am going to resolve to attempt these! they will brighten a dull/blah February day considerably

Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings... said...

Hi Kate...Clean and fresh!
would be a beautiful addition to a girlfriends luncheon...Your camera is doing a great job!, xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...

~~louise~~ said...

Oh my goodness, Kate. Don't they look lovely!!! You really are getting the hang of that new camera of yours. Simply stunning.

Now, if I could just overcome that fear I have of gelatin sheets...

Thanks for sharing; Gorgeous!!!

Ju (The Little Teochew) said...

Kate, oh, Kate! They are gorgeous! Summer in a glass, I say. Beautiful recipe and photos. Can't stop gawking :)

Divina Pe said...

This is a very elegant dessert. It's a wonderful showcase of different citrus fruits and the colors are vibrant. I also love rooibos tea as well as a much softer texture.

About my files, my posts are still there on blogspot, but I don't have the original copy of my posts and photos on my computer anymore. Time to start over again with lost files. :D

grace said...

kate, these are terrific! i LOVE blood oranges and grapefruit, and the little pomegranate seeds make this even more beautiful. i'm delighted by your creation here. delighted. :)

Kim said...

I bet the bergamot flavored tea was perfect with the citrus fruit. This looks like a wonderful and light treat.

Simones Kitchen said...

These look so gorgeous! Would love to try them too and well, yes I do have a stack of verrines everywhere so no reason not to. Although I haven't seen any bloodoranges around here!

2 Stews said...

Oh, don't they smile :-))

It rained all day here and just looking at these brightens my spirits! I actually do have white tea...Earl Grey and just about anything else. These are a must!

Thanks, Kate.

Diane

Cool Chic Style Fashion said...

very pretty!!
thanks stefania

Chats the Comfy Cook said...

How attractive these must make the table.

Helene said...

They turned out perfect!
It's funny but now that I am in the US, I am completely in love with powdered gelatin!! One thing is to make sure that the liquid is hot enough to dissolve the powder completely. Much like dissolving sugar in hot water or milk. I still have a couple of packs of leaf gelatin my mom brought me last year :)