Honey Sage Panna Cotta with Toasted Pignoli

My first introduction to savory herbed desserts was on a crisp autumn evening in 2004. I was with friends at an intimate South Philadelphia BYOB, a restaurant known for classic Italian fare with a twist. The evening's homemade gelato selection, the waiter announced, was infused with rosemary. In a collectively daring mood, we decided to give it a try.

My expectations low, I was pleasantly surprised as the gelato exploded, then lingered, on my palate. The depth of flavor, difficult to identify without knowledge of the star ingredient, did not disappoint. The piney rosemary notes paired perfectly with the sweet, creamy gelato. I was sold.

Since that time, my forays into the world of savory herbed desserts have included fluffy lavender marshmallows, olive oil-infused ice cream, and confections of chocolate and rosemary.

Here, I've put together a twist on classic panna cotta. Rosemary is a popular choice among herbed desserts, so, inspired by the gorgeous sage ice cream created by the chef at www.:pastrystudio.blogspot.com, I thought I'd try sage.

Recipe below...

Notes:

• Increasing the lemon zest to 1 1/2 teaspoons will yield a bright, distinctive lemon flavor. One teaspoon of zest, as in the variation below, will result in a subtle, yet still detectable, lemon flavor that does not compete with the sage.
• Use additional unflavored gelatin if you prefer a firmer panna cotta. For a more jiggly variation, use a little less gelatin. Be sure to serve in ramekins, as this variation will not set up firmly enough to be inverted.
• To enhance the flavor: When straining the liquid mixture, be sure to squeeze any liquid from the sage leaves through the strainer.

The Recipe:

1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sage leaves, roughly chopped, plus a few whole leaves for garnish
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup toasted pignoli, chopped or crushed

Place milk and gelatin in a medium saucepan. Set saucepan aside until gelatin softens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Place saucepan on stove top over medium heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add the cream, sage, honey, lemon zest, sugar, and salt. Increase heat to medium and stir constantly, allowing flavors to infuse and sugar to completely dissolve, about 7 minutes. Strain, squeezing any liquid from the sage leaves through strainer. Pour mixture into 5 (6 to 8-ounce) ramekins or panna cotta molds. Refrigerate,  uncovered, at least 5 to 6 hours.

To loosen the panna cotta, dip the bottom and sides of each ramekin in hot tap water for 20-30 seconds. Carefully run a knife along the inner edge of the panna cotta to loosen it from the ramekin. Gently invert onto a dessert plate by placing the plate over the ramekin, and carefully flipping it with the plate held firmly in place. Slowly lift the ramekin, coaxing the panna cotta onto the dessert plate if necessary.

Garnish each panna cotta with crushed toasted pignoli, a few strips of lemon zest, and a sage leaf.

Makes 5 to 6 servings.

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Comments

Wow ! Your Honey Sage Panna Cotta sounds and looks amazing.
Thanks for your creativity and sharing.

[Beverly Gray]

This is the second day that I have logged in, read and printed recipes from the 3zestylemons.com blog. They'll be a great addition - photos and all, to the loose-leaf cookbook my teenage grandchildren and I are building.

The blog is an inspiration. Wonderful recipes, well presented, beautifully photographed and family friendly.

We plan to try all three of the recipes presented in the September 23 blog. My grandchildren (fussy but voracious eaters) are presently living with me, and coming up with new, nutritious and delicious meals for five weeknight and two weekend dinners has completely exhausted my Rachel Ray recipe repertoire.

The Panna Cotta may or may not be pleasing to my grandchildren's teenage tastes, but it's on my list of to-trys for a fall dinner party.

Keep these wonderful Philly-inpired goodies coming.

Nonna