Goat Cheese Panna Cotta with Berries & Honey and Sweet Corn Panna Cotta with Bacon & Blue Cheese

I’ll confess, the last week has been incredibly difficult. My mom had very serious surgery just last Monday, and my husband John had knee surgery two days later. Things are looking up for both of them, thank goodness, with Mom still hospitalized but slowly improving, and John back at work already today. The body’s ability to heal is mind boggling.

I’ve been amazed by the outpouring of well wishes from friends near and far, in person and online. The social media community is a force of nature, in case you’ve ever doubted it. My sister Stacey and I have been overwhelmed – in the best possible way! – with loving and supportive messages and offers of help. We are beyond grateful.

I’m the type of girl who loses her appetite when I’m stressed out. But it makes me feel better to cook, so I was glad that in the midst of this craziness, I was making and writing about three different panna cotta recipes that spun out of the Tour de Farm/Celebrity Chef Tour dinner I attended a couple of weeks ago. It turns out that panna cotta is perfect comfort food and it has literally sustained me over the last days.

Funny how things work out.

Goat Cheese Panna Cotta with Honey & Berries
Recipe by Kris Hase
Makes eight 4-oz. servings

2 c. whole milk, divided
2 tsp. powdered gelatin
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. fresh goat cheese, room temperature, cubed
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean

honey
fresh in-season berries
edible flowers

Pour 1/2 c. of whole milk in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin evenly over the top to soften it. Set the bowl aside.

Combine the heavy cream, remaining 1 1/2 c. milk and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer (not a boil) and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Turn off heat and whisk in goat cheese, until the pieces of cheese are totally incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla and the milk/gelatin mixture and whisk again to dissolve the gelatin. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher with a pour spout.

Pour the mixture into 6-8 ramekins or fancy glasses and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, drizzle honey over top with fresh berries and edible flowers.

Sweet Corn Panna Cotta with Bacon & Blue Cheese
Recipe by Kris Hase
Makes eight 4-oz. servings

2 c. whole milk, divided
2 tsp. powdered gelatin
1 c. heavy cream
3 ears sweet corn, husked, kernels sliced off
1/4-1/2 c. sugar (to taste, depending on sweetness of corn)

crumbled blue cheese
crumbled crispy bacon

Pour 1/2 c. of whole milk in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin evenly over the top to soften it. Set the bowl aside.

Combine the heavy cream, remaining 1 1/2 c. milk, sugar and corn in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer (not a boil) and stir occasionally for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in the milk/gelatin mixture, and let steep for 20-30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher with a pour spout.

Pour the mixture into 6-8 ramekins or fancy glasses and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, scatter blue cheese and bacon over the top.