The kind of starter you bring out every spring, without really knowing why you waited so long. A savory panna cotta with goat cheese, topped with homemade guacamole — it’s quirky, fresh, and disappears from the glasses before you even sit down. For a dinner with friends or a cocktail buffet on a May evening, it’s the dish that makes you look like you planned everything without spending the afternoon in the kitchen.
Ingredients :
- Fresh goat cheese (150 g) — This gives the panna cotta its character — its lactic acidity and creamy texture melt perfectly into the hot milk. Choose a good quality fresh goat cheese (Soignon, Chavroux, or local fromager), not too aged: a dry or crusted goat cheese won’t melt properly and will create lumps in the cream.
- Buttermilk (50 cl) — Buttermilk (or fermented milk) replaces regular whole milk and brings a slight natural acidity that balances the fat of the goat cheese. If you can’t find it, a mix of half whole milk and half plain liquid yogurt gives a very similar result.
- Cornstarch (2 tbsp) — The binding agent in the recipe, replacing gelatin. It gives a softer, less cold mouthfeel. Classic mistake: adding it directly to hot milk. Always dissolve it in a little cold liquid first to avoid insoluble lumps.
- Ripe avocados (3) — An avocado that’s too firm won’t blend smoothly and will taste bitter and flat. A ripe avocado yields slightly to thumb pressure and has almost black skin. If yours are still hard, place them in a bag with a banana for 24 hours — ethylene reliably accelerates ripening.
