Winter Citrus Panna Cotta

sunshine and cream in a cup (w/ ginger-passionfruit caramel)

One more quick way with winter citrus - see my previous post. I made this dessert the other week and one lick of the spoon brought a smile to my face. Nuanced with layers of flavor, eternally chic (is this where I reference Carolyn Bessette Kennedy?) and fast…3 signals of a very good dessert option. I have written about panna cotta in the past (poached rhubarb & candied fennel), and this will likely not be the last time it appears on these pages. It’s a gorgeous canvas for the season’s best in show (and what’s lying around in your fridge). In this instance, I needed to use up 3 lonely passion fruits in my fridge, purchased in a bit of desperation to boost me out of a winter slump. And I had some citrus peels waiting for something, anything but the compost bin. Into a pot of cream they go. And into a caramel goes the passionfruit with a pieces of leftover ginger root. Panna cotta can be executed in a matter of minutes (just be sure to pre-purchase some gelatin sheets ahead of time…they’re good to have lying around) and poured into any vessel of your choosing. Ramekin, cocktail coupes or glasses, little bowls, tiny food-storage containers (excellent for transporting in my case) will all work very nicely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to fully firm up and you’re ready to serve. The caramel, if there’s excess, will last in the fridge for 3-4 months.