Panna Cotta

Ingredients

• 4 ounces heavy cream
• 10 ounces milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, scrape inside
• 2/3 cup fresh ricotta, recipe follows
• 2 1/2 gelatin leaves or 1 1/4 teaspoons gelatin powder, bloomed in a bowl of tap water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
• 2 tablespoons minced Sweet Preserved Lemons, recipe follows
• 1 pound assorted fresh berries
• 2 cups Fresh Raspberry Puree, recipe follows

Directions

In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and whisk in ricotta. Strain into a bowl over ice.

Drain the gelatin and slowly whisk into the cooling mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature. Slowly fold in the whipped cream. Lastly, fold in the minced Sweet Preserved Lemons.

Arrange 1/4 cup of mixed berries in the bottom of a chilled martini glass. Repeat the process to 7 more glasses. Divide the cream evenly among the 8 glasses. Smooth the top and allow to chill at least 1 hour.

Pour about 2 ounces of the Fresh Raspberry Puree or enough to cover the surface of the panna cotta. Chill at least 1 hour to allow to set completely. Serve chilled.

Fresh Ricotta:

• 6 cups whole milk
• 6 ounces yogurt
• 6 ounces heavy cream
• Pinch of salt

In a pot, whisk together all above ingredients. Over medium heat, slowly bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn off heat, stir once and allow to set for 2 minutes.

Line a colander with a double thickness of cheesecloth. Slowly pour the mixture into it and let it drain for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is thick. Transfer fresh ricotta into a non-reactive container. Keep refrigerated until needed.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Sweet Preserved Lemons:

• 10 lemons, preferably Meyers, halved crosswise, juice and pith removed
• Water, for blanching
• 1 pound sugar

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the cleaned lemon halves for 1 minute. Drain. Repeat the process 2 more times, making sure that you use fresh water each time. After the final blanching, drain the peels.

In a saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the blanched peels and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and transfer to a covered container. Allow to cool in the refrigerator. This will keep for months in the refrigerator. Use as needed.

Yield: 2 pounds

Fresh Raspberry Puree:

• 2 baskets raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Lemon juice, to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and reduce until thickened. Strain. Use as needed.

Yield: 2 cups