Summer Melon Granita With Fresh Mint Recipe 465

Steps:

• Working in 2 batches, puree watermelon in a food processor. Strain puree through a sieve and strain out solids, forcing liquid out with a wooden spoon. Discard solids. Combine the watermelon puree, lime juice, mint and sugar in a 9 by 13-inch metal pan. Place mixture in the freezer, scraping thoroughly with a fork every 20 to 30 minutes for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the granita resembles coarse crystals. Scrape 1 last time and spoon into parfait glasses or bowls. Top with a mint sprig.

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, water, and mint leaves into a medium pot. Boil the mixture for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool. Remove the mint leaves and discard them. Using a large blender, combine the honeydew, cantaloupe, lemon juice, salt, and cooled sugar-water mixture; blend until completely smooth. Pour the mixture into an airtight container and chill for 3 hours. After the 3 hours have passed, stir the honeydew mixture well and pour it into a 9" x 13" baking pan. Freeze the mixture for 5-6 hours. Make sure to scrape through with a fork every 30 minutes for the first 3 hours (to separate the crystals.) Serve in a chilled glass and decorate with mint sprigs.

Steps:

• Bring water, mint, and sugar to a boil in a 1- to 2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes. Add lemon juice and pour through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing hard on solids and discarding them, then cool.
• Freeze mixture in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart shallow nonreactive metal container, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every 30 minutes, until evenly frozen, 2 to 3 hours. Scrape with a fork to lighten texture, crushing any lumps. Spoon into glasses or bowls.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan add the water, sugar and mint leaves and bring to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and let the simple syrup cool.
• Remove the rind from the watermelong and cut the watermelon into chunks.
• In a blender add the watermelon, lime juice, mint leaves and cooled simple syrup. Puree it all together.
• Pour the mixture into a baking dish and freeze for at least 8 hours.
• Once frozen, take a fork and scrape the frozen mixture to create the granita texture.
• Serve and enjoy!

Steps:

• Peel, halve, and seed melons; cut into chunks and place in medium-sized bowl, reserving ½ cup of the melon chunks in another small container.
• To the reserved ½ cup of melon, add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice; toss to coat; cover and refrigerate.
• To remaining larger bowl of melon, add sugar, remaining lemon juice, lemon zest, allspice, pepper (if using) and nutmeg; toss to mix; cover and marinate melon in refrigerator for 2-12 hours.
• Strain juices from larger bowl of melon chunks into a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat and cook 1 minute; remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Combine marinated melon chunks and reduced juices in a food processor or blender; puree until smooth; pour into a bowl, cover, and chill for 2 hours.
• Pour pureed and chilled mixture into ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's directions; serve topped with reserved diced melon and fresh mint sprigs.
• NOTE: The name "granita" comes from a Spanish word meaning small grain or, by association, granular texture.