Basil Panna Cotta

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups mixed fresh berries, washed and dried, for serving

Directions

1. Add the heavy cream to a medium saucepan. Split and scrape the vanilla bean, then put the seeds and the pod into the pan with the sugar, basil, lemon zest, and salt. Set the pan over medium heat and cook until the mixture is just coming to a boil, about 5 minutes. Take it off the heat, cover the pan, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
2. While the cream is steeping, put 4 teaspoons of water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Leave it alone so it can soften and bloom.
3. Remove the vanilla bean from the cream mixture, scraping any clinging custard and seeds back into the pan as you go, then set the bean aside. Return the pan to medium heat and warm the cream mixture until it is just barely simmering.
4. Move the pan off the heat, stir in the softened gelatin, and keep stirring until it has fully dissolved. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl, pressing firmly on the basil and lemon zest so all that good flavor makes it through. Discard the basil and zest.
5. Stir the buttermilk into the cream mixture until everything is smooth and evenly combined. Divide the custard among 6 small straight-sided rocks glasses, about 6 ounces each, the kind you would use for a good bourbon. Cover the glasses with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 2 days.
6. When you’re ready to serve, spoon the berries over the top of the panna cotta.