Slow Roasted Tomato and Fennel Panna Cotta with Succotash Salad, Cornbread Crumbles, and Herb Oil

Preheat the oven to 300ºF.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly rub the surface with avocado oil to prevent sticking. Place the halved tomatoes, cut surface down onto the tray. Add the shallot, garlic, and fennel. Add the 2 tablespoons avocado oil and a generous seasoning of salt. Toss to coat evenly with the oil and bake for 2-3 hours, or until there is little to no liquid on the baking sheet and the vegetables are soft and roasted.

Let cool until you can handle the tomatoes and then transfer everything to a blender, pressing the garlic from its skin (discard the skin) and set aside. Add the Pernod to the sheet pan and scrape up any caramelized bits. Pour into a small pan and cook until reduced by at least half.

Add the reduced Pernod, tomato paste, fish sauce, coconut aminos, truffle seasoning, and cayenne to the blender. Puree until completely smooth. You should have about 1 2/3 cups. Add in 1/3 cup crème fraîche and blend again. Set aside.

Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons water and set aside to rehydrate for 10 minutes.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the tomato cream into a small pan. Heat until steaming but do not boil. Add the rehydrated gelatin and then cook on low, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. It is important to melt the gelatin but do not boil the mixture as it will make it so the gelatin cannot set properly. Stir this into the rest of the reserved tomato cream so that it is evenly mixed. (If your blender is not very strong, or suspect that some gelatin has not dissolved, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer before transferring to molds).

Pour into 6 silicon molds for individual servings (or glass cups for serving if you will not be unfolding them). I like to place the molds onto a rimmed baking sheet so that they are easy to move around later. Let cool completely in the molds then wrap with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator until completely set, about 5 hours, and preferably overnight. For more complex mold shapes, freeze after the 5 hours setting in the fridge. This will allow you to remove the panna cotta with the shape of the mold intact. They can also be stored, well wrapped in the freezer for up to a month.

To serve, unmold (and defrost after unmolding, if frozen – this should be done slowly – I like to leave them refrigerated overnight).

Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand for at least 5 minutes to rehydrate.

Heat the cream and allulose over medium heat until just simmering. Add the bloomed gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and add the cocoa. Let stand for 5 minutes to melt.

Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the glaze and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch pan with melted butter or coconut oil, if dairy free. Set aside.

Combine all ingredients except hemp hearts in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Stir in hemp hearts, if using and pour into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Loosen the sides by running a knife around the edge and then turn the bread out to cool completely. (This can be made up to a week ahead and refrigerated or frozen for up to a month.)

Crumble into pieces and lightly spray with avocado oil. Spread onto a foil lined baking sheet and toast in a 350ºF oven until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.

Bring a large pot of water (at least 4 quarts) to a boil and season it generously with a tablespoon of salt. Add the green beans and cook to blanch for 3-5 minutes, or until the beans are just tender crisp. Strain with a slotted spoon and transfer the beans to an ice water bath to stop the cooking (this will also help retain the bright green color).

Repeat with the edamame, drain well through a strainer to collect the beans.

Thoroughly dry the blanched vegetables.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, fish sauce, stevia, shallot, and herbs.

Cut the blanched green beans on the bias. Add to a bowl with the edamame and tomatoes. Toss with the prepared vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the greens into a fine mesh strainer and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Pour the kettle of boiling water over the greens in a sink (should take about 10 seconds). Immediately rinse in cold water to blanch and cold shock them (this helps the greens and therefore the oil retain its beautiful green color). Press out as much liquid as possible and transfer to a high power blender cup. Add the oil and season with a bit of salt. Blend on high, or until completely smooth. Pass through a coffee filter into a bowl (or 3 layers cheesecloth). Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week).

Rewarm the glaze until completely liquid. Cool to 90ºF.

While the glaze cools, prepare the serving plates. Place a small pile of the cornbread crumbles to serve as the base for the panna cotta to sit on. Next to that, assemble the salad. Make shapes with the ribbons of zucchini and fill gaps with the dressed salad. Drizzle oil around the plate.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap and invert a cup or two on the sheet. Unmold the panna cotta or two and place on top of the cup(s) so that the edges of the panna cotta overhang (this will allow the glaze to flow over the edges). When the glaze is 90ºF, pour the glaze over frozen panna cotta. Use a knife to scrape any drips that hang on the bottom edge of the panna cotta and when set, transfer the panna cotta to a serving plate using an offset spatula or a knife. Let thaw before serving.

Top each panna cotta with a tomato stem, if using and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.