Coconut Panna Cotta with Fresh Figs

Everyone I know adores panna cottas. For all their simplicity, I think they're an elegant finale to any meal. And there are so many flavors you can incorporate in both the panna cotta and the fruit. Coconut anything is a family favorite, so it's a natural for me to use as a flavor base here; combined with finding fresh figs in my market, what could be a better combo?

Panna cottas are a cinch to make and they only take a few hours to set in the fridge. This one is so feminine and delicate looking, isn't it? It's got "ladies who lunch" written all over it. 

Coconut Panna Cotta with Fresh Figs
From Inspiring the Everyday

Ingredients:

1-15 ounce can coconut milk

¼ cup granular sugar

2 inch piece of vanilla bean, scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 ¾ teaspoons powdered gelatin

2 tablespoons cold water

 Vanilla Fig Syrup [see recipe below]

Fresh Ripe Figs (retain some for garnishing)

Method:

In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over the water and stir. Set aside to bloom. Heat the coconut milk, sugar and vanilla bean just to a boil. Strain. Add 1/4 cup of the hot milk to the gelatin and stir to dissolve. Then add all the gelatin to the remaining coconut milk.

Fill your dishes and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Vanilla Fig Syrup Recipe

 Ingredients:

¼ cup granular sugar

4 large ripe figs, halved

2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur 

1 Tablespoon water

1 inch piece vanilla bean, chopped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Method:

Bring all ingredients to a gentle simmer in a small sauce pan. Simmer until figs have released their flavor and color. Strain and cool.

Curried Lentil and Rice Loaves

Whoa! Brace yourselves....a healthy recipe coming your way today! I saw this in Martha Stewart Living magazine and tore it out. It's a nice side dish, good flavor, nicely flavored with curry and the only complaint I had was it was just a little bit dry. Have you made it? Would love to hear about your results. Perhaps I was just expecting this to be more like a moist meatloaf and it's supposed to be on the dry side. What do you think?

Curried Lentil and Rice Loaves
From Martha Stewart Living, September 2013

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for loaf pans 
2/3 cup white rice, preferably short-grain 
2/3 cup green lentils, picked over and rinsed 
1 sweet onion, such as Vidalia, finely chopped (about 2 cups) 
2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder 
2 cups water 
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed 
2 medium carrots, grated (about 1 cup lightly packed) 
3/4 cup tomato puree 
1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped 
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt 
2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 3 mini loaf pans or 1 standard loaf pan with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang; brush with oil. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice, lentils, onion, and curry powder. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and toasted, about 3 minutes. Add water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and lentils and rice are al dente, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.


Stir in remaining ingredients. Transfer to pans; bake until tops are golden brown and firm, about 1 hour. Let cool at least 10 minutes.

Lemon Angel Muffins

These have been my daughter's favorite muffins since she was a child. Tart and lemony, they nearly float away they are so light. Serve them warm....they don't even need butter. The beaten egg whites are the trick to these light-as-air muffins; you'll find the batter somewhat stiff before folding in the whites, so fold carefully and with patience. It will take a bit longer than you're accustomed to, but oh the results! I found the recipe back in the 60's in a Junior League cookbook. Which one, I've long forgotten. I've made them many times in mini muffin form as well, very successfully.

Lemon Angel Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated, room temperature
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

Method:
Cream butter and sugar until smooth and add egg yolks. Beat until light. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add alternately with the lemon juice. Fold in grated peel. Fold in beaten egg whites. (do not beat them to stiff peaks) Fill greased and floured muffin tins. Bake 375 for 20 minutes.