Panna Cotta with Mixed Berries

May. The farm is greening up in that assertive May way — not the tentative green of April but the full green, the grass growing fast enough that you can almost watch it, the garden beds filling in, the whole property committing to summer. I love this month. The promise of it, the delivery of what March and April were working toward.

The last frost date passed without incident. The tomato transplants I've been nursing in the cold frames since March went into the ground on Saturday — eighteen plants, the usual mix of varieties, and I planted each one with the specific private ceremony of putting something you've been caring for into its permanent place. These are the plants that will produce the sauce that will last through next winter. I think about that chain when I plant them.

Made strawberry rhubarb jam this week, a variation — both fruits going in together, which produces something more complex than either alone. The rhubarb brings tartness and the strawberries bring sweetness and they balance each other in a way that plain rhubarb jam doesn't quite achieve. I got eight jars, more than last year. The cellar shelf is looking organized and full, which is one of the reliable satisfactions of May.

My letter exchanges with the widower in Maine have continued. His name is Bill. He's seventy-two, retired fisherman, lost his wife of forty-one years in January. He's learning to cook from scratch. He writes with humor about his failures and honesty about what the kitchen feels like when you're alone in it. I've been writing back with what I know. It's become a real correspondence. I think Helen would have been amused that her death produced a pen pal for me in Maine.

After putting up eight jars of strawberry rhubarb jam and watching the cellar shelf fill in the way it does this time of year, I wanted something that let those same berries shine without the work of canning. Panna cotta is the kind of recipe I’ve come to appreciate for the same reason I appreciate a good letter—it’s simple, unhurried, and it rewards patience. I made a note to include it in my next letter to Bill in Maine; it’s the sort of thing a man learning to cook on his own can actually pull off, and it looks like you knew what you were doing all along.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 4 hr 25 min (includes chilling) | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 envelope (1/4 oz) unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons honey or berry jam, for drizzling
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Bloom the gelatin. In a small bowl, sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water. Let it stand for 5 minutes without stirring until the gelatin has absorbed the water and softened.
Heat the cream mixture. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy whipping cream, whole milk, and granulated sugar. Stir occasionally and heat until the mixture is just beginning to steam and the sugar has fully dissolved, about 5–7 minutes. Do not let it boil.
Dissolve the gelatin. Remove the saucepan from heat. Add the bloomed gelatin to the warm cream mixture and whisk gently until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 1–2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Fill the molds. Lightly oil six 6-ounce ramekins or dessert cups with a neutral oil. Pour the cream mixture evenly among the prepared ramekins. Allow them to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Chill until set. Cover each ramekin loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until the panna cotta is fully set and no longer jiggles in the center.
Prepare the berry topping. Shortly before serving, gently toss the strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries together in a small bowl. Drizzle with honey or a spoonful of berry jam and stir lightly to coat.
Unmold and serve. To unmold, run a thin knife around the edge of each ramekin and invert onto a dessert plate. Alternatively, serve directly in the ramekin. Spoon the mixed berries generously over each panna cotta, garnish with fresh mint if desired, and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Panna Cotta with Mixed Berries — The Sweet Reward of a May Kitchen