Buttermilk Panna Cotta

From Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens

Look for an article on Chef Jennifer Schaertl’s Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens in an upcoming issue of Today’s Diet & Nutrition. In the meantime, sample Schaertl’s kitchen wizardry with this recipe from the book.

Serves 4

Light and creamy, this recipe represents a definitive gourmet summer dessert. It cooks in one pot and then chills in the fridge. You never have to turn on your crappy oven!

1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups buttermilk
1 pinch sea salt
1 pint fresh berries

Add the milk to your 1-quart saucepot, and sprinkle in the gelatin. Allow this to sit for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Put this mixture over medium heat, and whisk in the sugar. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the lemon, buttermilk, and pinch of salt, whish to combine, and take it off the heat. Carefully strain the mixture into a large measuring cup. Pour this into 4 souffle or coffee cups, cover them with small squares of plastic wrap, and set them on a level shelf in the refrigerator to chill.

After a minimum of 4 hours (preferably overnight), run your paring knife around each panna cotta and invert each dish over a small dessert plate. Scatter plenty of fresh berries on the top of the panna cotta as well as around the plate, and serve immediately.

Swap It: With a variation perfect for every season, cream desserts are just as versatile as they are delicious. Use the same basic custard recipe (either for panna cotta or crème brulee) while exchanging accompaniments to create a whole new gourmet dessert. Garnish the panna cotta with blood orange segments in the winter, add bing cherries to the bread pudding in the spring, and burn thickly sliced apple into the top of a brulee in the fall. Let the seasons and contents of your Crappy Little Fridge dictate your inspirations.

Chefology: Panna Cotta: Panna Cotta means “cooked cream” in Italian, and it is no wonder why. This silky-smooth Italian pudding compliments any fresh fruit or berry in season. The perfect dinner party dessert, panna cotta is best when made a day or two in advance.

TD&N Nutrient Analysis (not including berries): Calories: 192; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 13 mg; Sodium: 122 mg; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Fiber: 0 g; Protein: 8 g

Recipe used with permission from Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens by Chef Jennifer Schaertl, www.hcibooks.com