Creamy Melon Granita Recipes

MELON WITH BASIL-LIME GRANITA

Steps:

• Bring water and 2/3 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then simmer 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely in an ice bath, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Purée syrup with basil and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon lime juice until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a 3-quart shallow nonreactive container, pressing on and then discarding solids.
• Freeze basil-lime syrup, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every 30 minutes, until evenly frozen, about 2 hours.
• One hour before serving, cut melons into small wedges and peel. Combine in a large bowl. Whisk together remaining 2 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon sugar and pour over fruit. Let macerate, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Scrape granita with a fork, crushing any lumps. Serve melon in shallow bowls, drizzled with melon liquid and topped with granita and mint.

MELON GRANITAS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat sugar with 2 tablespoons water, stirring occasionally, until dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes; set aside.
• Peel, seed, and coarsely chop melon. In a food processor, puree melon with sugar syrup until smooth (to yield about 6 cups); pour into a large, shallow dish.
• Freeze, stirring and breaking up crystals with a fork every 30 minutes, until entire mixture is frozen and crystallized, about 3 hours.

MELON GRANITA

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.