Light and creamy with the depth of earthy mushrooms, this heavenly panna cotta is the perfect appetizer.

If like me you think panna cotta is the best culinary invention ever, you need to go beyond the velvety sweet dessert version to savour this decidedly delicious, earthy mushroom variation.

In case you are still looking for a surprise appetizer or starter for your Christmas menu (or any other festive gathering), I am truly not sure it gets any better than this easy-to-make delicious appetizer.

Recipe: Mushroom Panna Cotta

Serves 6

For the mushroom panna cotta
300 g mixed mushrooms (i.e. king oyster mushrooms, shiitake), cleaned and chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
400 ml heavy cream
300 ml milk
4 gelatin sheets
black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

For the parsley oil
30 g parsley, chopped
100 ml neutral oil

Method

In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic clove and 200g mushrooms and cook until golden-brown (about 3-4 minutes). Set aside.

In the meantime, in a saucepan, bring heavy cream and milk to a boil.

Add the mushrooms and around one third of the hot cream-milk mixture to a blender. Blend until smooth.

Add the mushroom mixture into the remaining cream. Stir to combine.

Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for about 5 minutes. Transfer soaking wet to a small saucepan and dissolve over medium heat. Stir into the mushroom cream.

Pour the mushroom cream into six small ramekins and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, better overnight.

For the parsley oil, put parsley and oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Add to a small saucepan and bring to a light simmer (do not let cook) while stirring frequently. Pour through a fine sieve and let drain for about one hour then squeeze out residues in the sieve.

Just before serving, heat one tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the remaining mushrooms and cook until golden-brown (about 3-4 minutes).

To serve, dip the ramekins into hot water, then turn upside-down onto a serving plate. Add mushrooms and drizzle with parsley oil.