Panna Cotta is one of those go to recipes for me (read: really easy and really good!). It goes with almost every fruit— citrus in the winter, berries in the spring, stone fruit in the late summer. I made this one with fruit I had on hand that day (I omitted the citrus topping given in the recipe and instead used a mixture of macerated cherries, sliced apricots and strawberries, lightly poached rhubarb, raspberries, a bit of grapefruit juice and the contents of a vanilla pod.) You can make it in just about any baking dish, but I think it works really well in our stoneware casseroles. ;) xo, N
Yogurt Panna Cotta
Reprinted from Gjelina, Cooking from Venice, California by Travis Lett. Chronicle Books, 2015.
Serves 6 to 8 / Slightly sour Greek yogurt makes the perfect medium for eggless custards, such as panna cotta. Its tang and richness compliments just about any seasonal fruit: macerated cherries, roasted apricots and peaches, pears poached in port wine, or even wild huckleberries (which we drizzle with very good balsamic vinegar). Here, we capture winter in California with various bright citrus fruits and their candied peels. if you can't find an oro blanco or pomelo, use pink grapefruit instead.
PANNA COTTA
2 tsp unflavoured gelatin
2 Tbsp cold water, plus 1 cup [240 ml]
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
2 cups [480 ml] heavy cream
Pinch of kosher salt
1 1/2 cups [300 g] sugar
1 1/2 cups [300 g] Greek-style yogurt
FRUIT TOPPING
6 mandarin oranges
1 grapefruit
1 oro blanco
1 pomelo
2 lemons, cut into 1/4-in [6-mm] rounds and seeded
1 cup [200 g] sliced and seeded kumquats
(1/4-in [6-mm rounds])
Set a fine mesh sieve over a 10-by-10-in [25-by-30.5-cm] glass or metal baking dish or pan.
In a small bowl, bloom the gelatin in the 2 Tbsp water, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into a small saucepan. Add the bean pod, cream, salt, and 1/2 cup [100 g] of the sugar. Stir over medium-low heat until steaming and bubbles begin to form around the edges. Discard the bean pod.
Put the yogurt in a medium bowl and slowly whisk in the hot cream. Melt the gelatin in a small pot with a touch of water, until melted but not hot. Pour slowly into yogurt mixture.* Strain the mixture through the sieve into the baking dish. Refrigerate the panna cotta until set, about 2 hours.
Section one of the oranges by cutting off both ends. Set it on one end, and use a paring knife to cut away the peel and pith in strips, starting at the top and following the curves to the bottom. Then, holding the fruit in one hand, carefully insert the blade of the knife between the flesh and the membrane to cut out the sections without and membrane attached. The sections should come out easily. Repeat with the remaining oranges, the grapefruit, oro blanco, and pomelo and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the lemons, kumquats, remaining 1 cup [200g] sugar, and remaining 1 cup [240ml] water to a simmer. Continue simmering until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Use a large spoon to scoop out portions of the panna cotta onto dessert plates. Top with assorted citrus sections and the candied lemons and kumquats. Drizzle on a bit of the juices from the citruses and the syrup from the candied citrus rounds to serve.
*my note :)
From the shop:
Stoneware Casseroles
Stoneware + Porcelain Half Pasta Bowl
Wooden Sugar Spoon
Stoneware + Porcelain Salt Bowl
Large Serving Spoon
Stoneware + Porcelain Cup
Stoneware + Porcelain Small Bowl
Stoneware + Porcelain Creamer
Photos: Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
Set Design: Julia Callon
Creative Direction: Herriott Grace