Buttermilk Pannacotta with Passionfruit

Pannacotta is one of my favourite things in the world.  I once 'pointsed up' the pannacotta in one of Neil Perry's cookbooks to discover the tally was 24 points for a single serve!  This one uses buttermilk instead of cream, and is based on a recipe in this month's Gourmet Traveller. If you don't have pannacotta moulds you could use small glasses or cups.

Serves 8 (1.5 points per pannacotta)

Ingredients

800ml Buttermilk

100g Caster Sugar

1 Vanilla Bean, split lengthways and insides scraped

3.5 Gelatine Sheets OR 17g Powdered Gelatine

4-6 Passionfruit

Method

Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water until softened (about 5 mins) and then squeeze out the excess water.

Combine Buttermilk, caster sugar and vanilla bean in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm.  It's important that you don't let the mixture get too hot or the buttermilk will separate, but it needs to be warm enough for the gelatine to dissolve.

Quickly strain the mixture and then stir in the softened gelatine sheets or powdered gelatine until dissolved.

Spoon into 8 pannacotta moulds or glasses and refrigerate until set.

To unmould the pannacottas, sit the moulds in warm water for about 30 seconds and then run a knife around the inside of the mould.  Cut the passionfruit and spoon some of the juice and seeds over the top of each pannacotta.

Enjoy!

P.S.  You could also serve this in a cup or glass, a la brulee, with the passionfruit spooned over the top.

Haloumi, Tomato & Green Bean Salad

With a wave to Jill Dupleix, whose recipe I have adapted in the interests of anti-boombarella.  The original can be found in Totally Simple Food.

Serves 4 (6 points per serve)

Ingredients

8 Roma Tomatoes

Bunch of Thyme

2 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

400g Green Beans, trimmed

250g Haloumi Cheese

1 Lemon, cut into wedges

And for the dressing:

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Small Capers

1 Tbsp Chopped Flat-leaf Parsley

Method

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise, place on a baking tray, drizzle 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over the top, scatter the thyme sprigs and season with some salt and pepper.  Bake them for 30 mins at 180C.

Cook the green beans either on the stove top or in the microwave, whatever is your wont.  Leave them crunchy.

Rinse the haloumi and cut into slices about 5mm thick.  Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in a shallow frypan and fry the haloumi until it's golden brown.  (Alternatively you might like to barbeque it...)

To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together.  Drain the beans and toss them in the dressing.  Arrange the roasted tomatoes and beans on 4 plates, top with the haloumi and drizzle the dressing over the top.  Serve with the lemon wedges.

Bon appetite!