Strawberry & Black Pepper Panna Cotta

I’m taking advantage of new season strawbs this week, as when perfectly ripe and sweet they go so well with the more savoury flavours of black pepper, balsamic, and fresh basil. So, rather than trying each individually, I’ve thrown caution to the wind, and combined all four ingredients in to this dainty looking, but powerful tasting, dessert.

Ingredients (makes 6):

400g strawberries

100g sugar (or to taste if out of season)

400ml double cream

150ml milk

3 gelatine leaves

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Basil

1. Halve and cook the strawberries in a pan (leaving a handful aside for garnish) in the sugar until they reduce down and start resembling a thin jam, then leave to cool slightly. Put the gelatine leaves in to a bowl of cold water until softened.

2. Add the milk and cream to the berry mix, blend, then sieve and add the crushed black pepper (ensure these are ground fine enough not be gritty, but not too fine that it’s dusty) - this is to taste, however, I found one teaspoon was enough.

3. Bring the panna mix back to the heat until warmed through again, take off the hob, add the gelatine and stir until thoroughly melted. Pour in to moulds and refrigerate until set (approximately 4 hours).

4. To serve, heat up the remaining strawberries with a heaped tablespoon of sugar, roughly 50ml of water and the balsamic vinegar until syrupy, then garnish with a few basil leaves.