Verjus Recipes

The following recipes were contributed by a Perennial Vintners customer. They seem to have come from the following two websites:
  The Verjuice Co., Recipes & Inspirations (verjuice.co.za)
  RecipeZaar, Community, Verjuice recipes? (recipezaar.com)

Dressing for Salads & Vegetables
75ml Verjus
75ml Walnut oil
75ml Olive oil
1 t Dijon mustard
2 crushed garlic cloves (or to taste)
Black Pepper & Sea Salt to taste
Shake together all ingredients or blend with hand blender for a thicker, creamier emulsion.

Variations: For a cost-effective dressing, substitute the walnut oil for more olive oil; add your favourite herbs, eg. parsley, chives, oregano, basil, etc. ; replace smooth Dijon mustard with coarse-grain Dijon mustard for potato salads; reduce oil and add 4T Fromage Frais or Creme Fraiche

Deglazing with Verjus
Set aside your roast/fries/grills and any vegetables that you have added to the pan with the meat except those that are meant to flavor the gravy. Remove any excess fat from the pan, leaving approximately 1 teaspoon. Over medium heat, add 1 cup of verjus and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits, incorporating them into the verjus. Reduce until "jus" is just beginning to coat the spoon. Resist thickening the "jus", but add a knob of butter for richness and shine. Strain into serving dish. Roasted Pumpkin on Arugula with

Pumpkin Seed & Verjus Dressing
Roast 500g pumpkin on baking tray sprinkled with olive oil, salt and fine black pepper in a high oven for 20 minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized. Spread arugula leaves on flat platter and top with roasted pumpkin chunks. Blend pumpkin seed oil and Verjus and immediately drizzle over pumpkin chunks and arugula. Scatter 2 tablespoons of toasted pumpkin seeds over (toast separately while pumpkin roasts) and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Red Pepper Coulis
Grill or roast 3 medium Red Peppers. When charred, remove from oven and allow to sweat in paper bag for about 10 minutes. Remove from bag and peel off charred skins. Trim and discard seeds and any membranes. Place in food processor with 4 tablespoons warmed Verjus and process to a smooth paste. Press through sieve. Add olive oil and more Verjus and mix well. Great with fish.

Poached Fruit in Verjus Caramel Sauce
Poach pears, peaches, nectarines, apples and other seasonal fruit in a caramel sauce of 100gm butter, 4 T honey, 1 C cream and 6 T Verjuice. Or, use as topping over vanilla ice cream. Or, add hazelnuts or almonds (or nuts of choice) and continue to cook for a further few minutes. Turn out onto baking sheet allow to cool, and crack into pieces for a sublime praline.

Verjus Granita
Boil 500ml Verjuice, 100ml water with 150g Castor sugar and thin strips of grated lemon or lime rind. Simmer for 6 minutes. Add 8 mint leaves and allow to cool. Place in freezing tray and freeze for at least 6 hours. Every 2 hours break up the icy particles with a fork. Before serving, transfer to the fridge to allow to soften. Use a fork to break up again if necessary.