Peach Coconut Panna Cotta with Pistachio

It isn't often that I try a new dessert before I have company coming to dinner. So I make this with fingers crossed.

Peaches are peeled and pureed along with coconut milk. Gelatin blooms in milk instead of water.  In spite of my trepidations, my audacious efforts work out pretty well. The dessert doesn't have the silky smooth texture of the original as I haven't sieved the mixture. I prefer the mouthfeel of peach puree. Coconut milk offers an Asian twist. Chopped peaches and pistachio powder draw out fruit and nut flavors. I am delighted with this medley. So are my guests!

PEACH COCONUT PANNA COTTA WITH PISTACHIO

Serves 6-8

4  ripe Peaches

1 cup Milk, whole or 2%

1 packet unflavored Gelatin

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

1 Lemon

1 cup heavy Cream

1/2 cup Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Pistachio powder or chopped Pistachios

Pour milk into a bowl. 

Sprinkle the packet of gelatin over milk. Let it bloom for 5-10 minutes.

Peel and pit 3 peaches. Chop roughly. 

Place peaches in a blender.

Add coconut milk  and juice of lemon to peaches. Blend till smooth.

Pour mixture into a saucepan and heat for 5 minutes over a medium flame . 

Add milk and gelatin to the saucepan. Stir well. 

Add cream, sugar and salt to saucepan. 

Stir till smooth. 

Take it off the flame and cool for 15 minutes. 

Divide among 6-8 ramekins. 

I like to line my ramekins with plastic wrap. This way is easier as I don't have to dip the ramekins in hot water before inverting them onto a plate. 

Cover well and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. 

Chop remaining peach into small dice. 

When you are ready to serve invert the ramekin over a plate and gently remove the plastic wrap. 

Scatter peaches and pistachio powder over panna cotta and serve. 

I am thankful the experiment succeeded.  Even happier to see the panna cotta disappear.

Spice- Roasted Whole Cauliflower

I've been seeing a bunch of roasted cauliflower recipes. It is as if I'm being slowly nudged into making some. Capitulation begins with an experiment. I stuff a whole cauliflower with green chutney, sprinkle chile and roasted jeera powder over the whole cauliflower and then roast it in the oven as it sits on a bed of onions and garlic. Patience is always a rewarded virtue..... a perfectly roasted whole head comes out of the oven golden brown, tender....an Insta-worthy picture. 

SPICE-ROASTED WHOLE CAULIFLOWER     

DF, GF, VN, EF, V 

Serves 4-6 

1 Cauliflower

2-3 tablespoons Green Chutney (homemade or store bought)

1 Onion

2 Garlic cloves

2 tablespoon Canola Oil

1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder

1/2 teaspoon roasted Jeera Powder

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Cilantro

Heat oven to 400F/200C.

Trim cauliflower removing outer stalks and leaves. Cut the stem so the cauliflower sits flat on any surface. 

Flip cauliflower so the root end is facing you.

Drop bits of chutney into the crevices. Use the slim end of a spoon to push as much chutney as you can into the crevices. 

Slice onion thinly.

Mince garlic cloves. 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in an oven safe skillet. I used a 6" skillet. Use a pan that is a couple of inches wider than your cauliflower. 

Saute onions and garlic till soft, a couple of minutes. Take it off the heat.

Alternately you could use a baking dish. Add onion, garlic and oil to the dish and proceed.

Nestle cauliflower in onions. 

Drizzle remining oil over cauliflower. 

Sprinkle chile powder, jeera powder and salt over cauliflower. 

Add 3/4 cup hot water to skillet or baking dish. 

Cover tightly with foil. 

Bake for 30 minutes. 

Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more. 

Lift the cauliflower gently onto a serving dish. At this point you could serve it as is. 

Cut cauliflower into quarters . 

Spoon onion jam from the bottom of the skillet/dish in the middle of cauliflower.

Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve hot.  

I am amazed by this showstopper bake.... the way the cauliflower roasts...the onion jam at bottom of the skillet. They compliment each other prettily on my plate.