Chef's Recipes

Herb panna cotta with beetroot, freekeh and walnut dressing

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for herb panna cotta with beetroot, freekeh and walnut dressing from Ten Minutes by Tractor.

  • 45 mins preparation
  • 1 hr cooking plus cooling
  • Serves 4
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Herb panna cotta with beetroot, freekeh and walnut dressing
"Would you ask Ten Minutes by Tractor to part with the recipe for their beetroot salad with panna cotta?"
Leyla Longford, St Kilda East, Vic
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Ingredients

  • 300 ml (1¼ cup) red wine vinegar
  • 100 ml balsamic vinegar
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 sprigs each thyme and rosemary
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 8 black peppercorns, cracked
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 4 each small red and golden beetroot, unpeeled
  • 2 Fuji apples, unpeeled, cut into matchsticks
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • To serve: soft goat’s curd, mustard cress and beetroot chips (see note)
Herb panna cotta
  • 150 ml pouring cream
  • 50 ml milk, at room temperature
  • 2 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 minutes
  • 5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup (loosely packed) each finely chopped chervil and chives
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
  • 50 gm baby spinach
Freekeh salad
  • 150 gm cracked freekeh
  • 1 garlic clove, bruised
  • 2 tbsp walnut oil
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 3 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
Walnut vinaigrette
  • 80 ml (1/3 cup) red wine vinegar
  • 2½ tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 80 gm roasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

Method

Main
  • 1
    Combine vinegars, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, sugar and 1 litre water, divide equally into 2 small saucepans, Add red and golden beetroot to separate saucepans, season to taste, bring to the boil, then simmer over medium heat until easily pierced with a knife (30-40 minutes). Cool in liquid, then drain, peel and slice into thin rounds.
  • 2
    For herb panna cotta, heat half the cream and milk in a saucepan over low heat until just warm. Squeeze excess water from gelatine and add to cream mixture. Remove from heat, add remaining cream and milk and stir to dissolve (1 minute). Purée herbs and spinach in a blender, then add to cream mixture. Pour into a 10cm-square container and refrigerate until firm (2 hours). Before serving, turn out onto a board and cut into 3cm squares.
  • 3
    Cook freekeh and garlic in a saucepan of boiling salted water until tender (15-20 minutes). Drain, discard garlic, refresh freekeh in cold water, then drain well and toss with remaining ingredients.
  • 4
    For vinaigrette, whisk together vinegar, oil and mustard, add walnuts and season to taste.
  • 5
    Toss apple in lemon juice. To serve, divide freekeh among plates, top with beetroot, panna cotta and goat’s curd, drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with apple, cress and beetroot chips.

Notes

Note Beetroot chips are available at health food stores.