CHEESE (FETTA) PANNA COTTA WITH WATERMELON AND REDCURRANT SALAD
Stephen Doyle
It is easier to serve as a log rather than turning out individual servings, and the presentation is Christmassy with the watermelon salad and greens (see pic).
Delicious served with Bloodwood 2016 Big Men In Tights.
(Depending on its ripeness, the watermelon can push the 2014 BMIT a little, but this dish works well in combination with the wine and the colours are all very Christmas).
Cheese (Fetta) Panna Cotta:
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
600g fetta (I use local 2nd Mouse Cheese Co. see the secondmousecheeseco.com.au)
250 g Greek yoghurt (or Meredith sheep's milk)
130 g buttermilk
250 mls cream (runny)
2 cloves garlic
2 good squeezes of lemon juice
2t salt and 2 good pinches white pepper
8 sheets of Titanium leaf gelatine
Method:
Blend cheese, yoghurt, buttermilk, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Cover and soak the gelatine in water until it softens. Heat cream and chopped garlic until almost boiling, and then strain out the garlic. Add the squeezed gelatine to the warm cream until dissolved, then fold through the cheese mixture.
Pour into a loaf tin that has been rinsed out with water. Some small water droplets remain and that helps when you need to turn out the cheese jelly.
Set in your fridge for more than 2 hours (best overnight) before upturning and serving a slice with my Christmassy version of a watermelon salad:
Watermelon and Redcurrant Salad:
Ingredients:
1/4 watermelon (seedless and diced)
1 punnet redcurrants
1/2 red onion, diced finely
1/2 packet pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 cup rocket leaves
3 T mint, leaves only
3 T parsley, leaves only
Salad Dressing:
Ingredients:
2T Red wine vinegar
1T Lemon juice
6T Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Add salt to the red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Add the olive oil and add the ground pepper. Shake in a sealed jar.
Shortcuts:
Just make a more exotic fetta and watermelon salad with redcurrants and pine nuts and skip the Cheese Panna Cotta altogether.