Minty Lime Granitas Recipes

WATERMELON, LIME AND MINT GRANITA

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.

HIBISCUS-MINT GRANITA

Steps:

• Method:
• Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and steep the hibiscus flowers in the water for 5 to 7 minutes. Discard the hibiscus flowers. Add the sugar to the hot water and stir until melted. You may need to return it to the heat for a minute or two to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Add the lime juice and chopped mint leaves.
• Pour the liquid into a shallow bowl and place in the freezer. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours while mashing the large chunks of ice every 30 minutes or so.
• Assembly:
• Spoon the granita into chilled glasses and garnish with the whole mint leaves.

BERRY-MINT GRANITAS

Steps:

• Remove lemon zest in 1- to 2-inch sections using a vegetable peeler, avoiding the bitter white pith. Squeeze and reserve 2 teaspoons of juice.
• Stir lemon zest, water, sugar, and mint together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Let cool, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove and discard lemon zest and mint.
• Process blueberries and raspberries in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl with chilled syrup; discard seeds. Stir in reserved lemon juice.
• Pour berry mixture into a 9x13-inch baking pan. Cover and freeze until edges are slushy, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir with a metal spoon, scraping frozen mixture off bottom and sides of pan. Cover and freeze, stirring every 30 minutes, until mixture is slushy, about 3 hours more. Cover and freeze until firm, 4 to 24 hours more.
• Let stand and soften slightly at room temperature, 5 to 10 minutes. Scrape surface of granita with a fork and spoon into chilled dessert dishes.

MINTY LIME GRANITAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in the remaining ingredients., Transfer to an 8-in. square dish; cool to room temperature. Freeze for 1 hour or until edges begin to firm; stir. Freeze 2 hours longer or until firm., Just before serving, transfer to a food processor; cover and process until mixture resembles finely shaved ice. Spoon into dessert dishes.

HONEYDEW AND MINT GRANITA

Steps:

• Bring the sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the mint, pressing with a wooden spoon to submerge. Let cool completely, then remove the mint with a slotted spoon and discard.
• Combine the mint syrup, honeydew and lime juice in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a 7-by-11-inch or 8-inch square metal baking dish.
• Freeze the honeydew-mint mixture until ice crystals begin to form around the edges, about 45 minutes. Scrape the crystals toward the center of the pan with a fork, breaking apart any large chunks. Continue freezing, scraping every 30 minutes or so, until all of the granita has been scraped into flakes, 3 to 4 hours. Spoon into chilled bowls and top with mint leaves.

OYSTERS WITH CHILE, LIME AND MINT GRANITA

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a small pot and add the mint. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid reduces by half. Remove from heat and add the lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Discard the mint sprigs. Add the chile-garlic sauce and mix well.
• Transfer the mixture to a stainless-steel or glass pan and place in the freezer. Whisk the mixture every 10 to 20 minutes and continue to freeze until the mixture is consistency of shaved ice, about 2 hours. Break up crystals and whisk before serving.
• Top each oyster with a tablespoon of the granita and serve immediately.

LIME GRANITA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine sugar with 3 cups water.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Chill for 1 hour.
• Stir in lime juice and zest.
• Pour mixture into a shallow metal cake pan and freeze, crushing and stirring the lumps with a fork every 30 minutes for 2 to 3 hours, or until it has a slushy, granular texture.
• Serve immediately.