Lemon verbena panna cotta
Floral, sweet and complex, lemon verbena is a highly prized addition to the kitchen garden and can add subtle flavour to many recipes.
Ingredients
½ cup loosely packed fresh lemon
verbena leaves
5 tbsp castor sugar
2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
100ml milk
1½ leaves gelatine (Alba gold strength)
100ml natural yoghurt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Orange and pink grapefruit
segments to serve
Extra lemon verbena leaves to garnish
Method
Tear the lemon verbena leaves in half and gently bruise with sugar in a mortar and pestle.
Heat the thickened cream and milk in a small saucepan with the lemon verbena and sugar. Remove from heat and allow the delicate flavour to infuse for one to two hours.
Strain mixture through a sieve and return to the heat to warm gently.Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for a few minutes to soften. Squeeze the leaves to remove excess water.
Add gelatine to cream mixture and stir to dissolve. Stir in yoghurt and add lemon zest.
Pour into small dariole moulds that have been lightly sprayed withcooking spray.Refrigerate overnight or until set.
To unmould, dip the moulds in a bowl of hot water briefly, then turn upside down on to small serving plates and shake gently to release the panna cotta.
Serve with orange and pink grapefruit segments and extra lemon verbena leaves for garnish.
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