Brilliant Blood Orange Panna Cotta with Mint Roasted Rhubarb

Blood oranges are great at this time of year so I always pick some up whenever I see them for sale. Not only are they prettier than the standard orange, they are better for you with more antioxidants and vitamin C. The taste is superior too, with sweetness, sourness and a hint of raspberry flavour. 

Panna cotta is a great dinner party dish as it is incredibly simple to make, it can be prepared well in advance and it always goes down a storm. I chose to serve mine with a serving of roasted forced rhubarb, also currently in season and local to me. The addition of mint provides real vibrancy and elevates the whole dish.

Brilliant Blood Orange Panna Cotta with Mint Roasted Rhubarb

Serves 4:

For the panna cotta:

2 blood oranges, juice and rind reserved

75g/2½oz caster sugar

150ml/5fl oz double cream

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways

2 gelatine leaves, soaked in water for a few minutes until soft

300ml/10fl oz buttermilk

For the mint roasted rhubarb:

300g/10oz rhubarb, cut in 2cm/¾in pieces

1 tbsp caster sugar orange juice, reserved from above

2 large sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked and torn

For the panna cotta, preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1. Place the orange rind on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until completely dry.

In a small pan, heat the dried rind with the sugar, cream and vanilla. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the orange rind and vanilla. Squeeze the excess water from the softened gelatine leaves, then add to the cream mixture and continue to simmer until dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the buttermilk.

Place four dariole moulds or ramekins on a baking tray and pour in the panna cotta mixture. Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours, or until set.

For the mint roasted rhubarb, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place the rhubarb in a roasting tin, sprinkle over the sugar, then drizzle over the orange juice and mint. Roast the rhubarb in the oven for 8-12 minutes, or until just tender.

To serve, remove the panna cotta from the fridge. To remove the panna cotta from the moulds, briefly dip the base of each mould into a bowl of boiled water. Gently slide a knife around the edge of each panna cotta and turn out into the centre of a serving plate. Place the roasted rhubarb on the side and drizzle over any juice left in the roasting tin.