Panna Cotta with Spring Vegetables

Spring is a wonderful time to incorporate fresh herbs and vegetables into your recipes. Aquarelle’s Chef Teresa Wilson’s recipe for Panna Cotta with Spring Vegetables does just that. You can use any vegetables that are in season, and they will really make the dish.

Panna Cotta with Spring Vegetables
Serves 6

For the Panna Cotta

• 100 ml Milk (½ cup)
• 400 ml Heavy Cream (2 Cups)
• 2 g Powdered Agar Agar ( 1 tsp.)
• 2 Large spring garlic, stalk and bulb

Spring Vegetables

• Asparagus
• Snap Peas
• Carrots
• Roasted tomatoes, cut in wedges and cleaned of pulp

Pea Cream

• 200 g Cooked Peas (1 Cup)
• Enough milk to thin

Dressing

• 50 ml Walnut Oil (¼ Cup)
• Juice ½  Small Lemon
• Sugar to taste

Directions

For the Panna Cotta

1. Scaled the milk and heavy cream over medium high heat.
2. Add the Agar-Agar and whisk for several minutes until it thickens slightly.
3. Add the garlic—green stalks and all—to the milk and cream mixture and let it stand for about five minutes.
4. Blend the milk, cream and garlic mixture and then pass through a  fine sieve to extract all the liquid and remove the solids.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Pour into ramekins or molds.
7. Chill until set, usually an hour.

The Vegetables

• Blanch the vegetables in boiling, salted water for approximately 30 seconds.
• Immerse in cold water, drain, pat dry and set aside until ready to use.

For the Pea Cream

1. Puree shelled peas with enough milk to thin.
2. Add the milk slowly so the mixture is creamy and not too thin,
3. Season to taste.
4. Pass through a fine sieve to extract the liquid and remove the solids.

For the Dressing

• Whisk all the ingredients together and then season to taste.

To assemble your salad

1. Place the vegetables in the bowl and season with the dressing
2. Spread the pea cream on the center of the plate, drawing it to the outside corner
3. Use a thin knife and run it along the outside of the mold containing the panna cotta,a nd pop it from the mold and place it on the plate atop the pea cream
4. Arrange the vegetables on the plate.
5. Accent the plate with a drizzle of the dressing.
6. Garnish with fresh herbs such as cilantro, and pea shoots.
7. You may also garnish with prosciutto or Serrano ham.

TIPS :

• If using flake Agar-Agar, 1 teaspoon of powdered is comparable to 1 tablespoon of flake.
• Taste the panna cotta before you chill it. If the mouth feel is too heavy, add a little more milk.
• You may substitute fennel, spring onion, or red bell pepper in place of the garlic. Spinach has an enzyme in it which will inhibit the Agar-agar from setting.
• Be creative! Any fresh vegetables are great to use. You can even mix raw with cooked or even pickled.
• You can serve the panna cotta in a dessert class, as pictured below.
• Taste and season all your components as you go!

Panna Cotta in Dessert Glass