Wild mushroom panna cotta with sourdough toast, girolles & tarragon oil

Making a savoury panna cotta may seem like a strange idea but having experimented with many different flavours, both sweet and savoury; I can confirm that it works very well indeed. Whilst still decadent it provides a beautiful meat free alternative to a pate or terrine. For this recipe the earthy notes of the wild mushrooms are paired with fresh tarragon and buttery girolles while the crunch and texture comes from walnuts and wafer thin sourdough toasts.

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 1 hr 15 (plus overnight)

Ingredients

For the panna cottas

40g dried forest mushrooms
400ml double cream
300ml semi-skimmed milk
2 bay leaves
12 black peppercorns
2 garlic cloves, peeled and squashed
3 gelatin sheets

For the herb oil

15g fresh chives
15g fresh parsley
10g fresh tarragon
1/2 clove garlic
sea salt
200ml rapeseed oil

For the garnish

A handful of walnut halves
¼ sourdough loaf
80g girolle mushrooms
20g salted butter
Small handful tarragon leaves
Sea salt and black pepper

Specialist equipment

6 dariole moulds (150ml capacity)

Hints and Tips

Herb oil

Herb oils are easy to make and can really elevate a dish to the next level. Not only do they add additional flavour but bring colour and interest to the plate. I have used my favourite combination for this recipe (chive, tarragon, parsley) but you can make an oil out of any green leafy or woody herb that you have available to you. The only caveat is that the herbs have to be fresh, the dried variety will not work. The oil, once made, can be stored in a sealed bottle or container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge – drizzle on bruschetta, over salads, on top of roast chicken, toss through boiled new potatoes, as a garnish on soup – the options are endless.

Wild mushroom panna cotta with sourdough toast, girolles & tarragon oil

Method

For the panna cottas

Brush your moulds lightly with olive oil.
In a saucepan add the cream, 100mls of milk, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic and dried mushrooms.
Heat on a medium heat until it reaches simmering point then set aside and leave to infuse for at least 1 hour. The longer you leave it the more intense the mushroom flavour will be.
Once the mixture has infused add the remaining 200mls of milk. Pour into a blender and blitz until you have a smooth consistency. Pass the mix through a sieve into a clean pan and season with salt and pepper. Finally place the pan back on a low heat and return to a simmer.
Next prepare the gelatin. Separate the leaves and place in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Once soft remove and squeeze out the excess water. Now remove the pan from the heat and add the leaves to the warm panna cotta mix. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved and then strain the mix again through a sieve into a jug.
Pour into your prepared moulds until half full and place in the fridge to set.
Half an hour before serving, remove the panna cottas from the fridge. Dip the moulds in warm water for 5 seconds, and then turn the panna cotta out onto a plate. If it won’t come out, hold the mould on the plate and give a good sideways shake to release.
For the final dish I’ve served the panna cotta with buttered girolles, sour dough toasts, walnuts, fresh tarragon and herb oil (see below)

For the herb oil

In a small, hand-held blender add the garlic, herbs and salt and blitz until you have a rough puree.
Add the oil and blitz again until well blended. Check seasoning.
Leave to steep for at least 1 hour (the longer you leave it the stronger the flavour).
When ready strain through a sieve that has been lined with a damp muslin cloth.
Store in a sealed container or jar until ready to use. This oil will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks (see hints and tips).

For the garnish

For the girolles, melt the butter in a frying pan before adding. Cook until soft.
Finely slice the sourdough and toast under the grill. Lightly brush with the finished herb oil.
Roughly chop the walnuts and pick the leaves from the remaining tarragon.

To plate

Offset the panna cotta to one side of the plate and then add the garnishes in a half-moon shape next to it (see photo below).
Once all the elements have been plated finish with a drizzle of herb oil. Serve while the girolles are still warm.

mushroom-pana-cotta

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