Verrines Avocat-Crevettes au Paprika
L'Heure de l'Apéro: The Daily Parisian Unwinding
A standard juice glass sits on the counter, layered with cultured dairy, supermarket shrimp, and smoked paprika. Six-thirty on a Tuesday requires a short runway between walking through the door and taking the first bite, making this layered verrine an efficient format for elegant entertaining. A touch of fresh citrus builds a clean base that lets you skip the mayonnaise-heavy cocktail sauces of the 1970s; it takes fifteen minutes and a fork in a standard American kitchen, pointing you straight toward the ingredient list and a cold drink.
Before you start
Scavenge for your glassware.
You don't need specialty French verrine glasses; small stemless wine glasses, shot glasses, or 4-ounce mason jars work perfectly.
Dry your shrimp obsessively.
If using frozen pre-cooked supermarket shrimp, thaw them gently under cold water and pat them completely dry with paper towels so they don't water down your creamy base.
Ingredients
- Hass avocados2 large
- lemon1 med
- full-fat sour cream3 tbsp
- sea salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- cooked, peeled pink shrimp1/2 lb
- extra-virgin olive oil1 tsp
- sweet paprika1 tsp
- fresh chives1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Marinate the shrimp to wake up their flavor.
Toss the chopped and whole shrimp in a small bowl with the olive oil, sweet paprika, and a quick squeeze of your lemon juice, then set them aside for five minutes.
- 02
Douse the avocado in citrus to halt oxidation immediately.
Place the avocado flesh in a medium bowl and pour the remaining fresh lemon juice over it right away to lock in that vibrant green color.
- 03
Mash the base rustically with a simple dinner fork.
Add the sour cream, sea salt, and black pepper to the avocado, then aggressively mash everything together until creamy but still studded with rustic, tiny chunks.
- 04
Assemble the foundational avocado layer.
Spoon the avocado mash into four to six small glasses or jars, filling them about two-thirds of the way, and tap them gently on the counter to level.
- 05
Crown the verrines with the marinated shrimp and garnish.
Spoon the marinated shrimp directly onto the avocado layer, finishing each glass with a reserved whole shrimp, a final pinch of paprika, and a sprinkle of fresh chives.
Notes
Leave the food processor in the cabinet.
A perfectly smooth mousse is a pretentious restaurant trick; the authentic home-cooked texture relies on a rustic fork-mash that leaves satisfying little chunks of avocado.
Trust the acid.
The fresh lemon juice isn't just for flavor; it's the protective shield that allows you to make these up to four hours in advance, wrapped tightly in the fridge, without the avocado turning brown.
From Cook French in America.