Apple Tarragon Granita Food

WINE, HONEYDEW, AND TARRAGON GRANITA

Steps:

• 1. Combine the wine and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, then cool.
• 2. Puree the honeydew and tarragon in a blender, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a mixing bowl. Combine the wine, honeydew juice, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt, then transfer to a square baking dish. Put in the freezer until firm, scraping and stirring with a fork every 30 minutes until the mixture is slushy, about 2 hours. Serve garnished with tarragon leaves or sprigs.

RACK OF LAMB WITH APPLE-MINT PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Season the lamb rack on all sides with 1 tablespoon of Emeril's Creole Seasoning; set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Creole Seasoning, the rosemary, and oil, and mix until all the crumbs are moist. Set aside.
• Heat a 14-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Place the lamb rack, fat side down, in the pan, and brown well. Give each side a good sear, 5 to 10 minutes in total. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• When the rack is cool enough to handle, transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the fat side of the rack generously with the mustard, and top with the breadcrumb mixture, packing it on lightly with your hands to form an even crust. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 135 degrees F (medium-rare), 25 to 30 minutes, or to your desired degree of doneness. Remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before carving between the bones.
• To serve, smear some of the Apple-Mint Puree decoratively on 4 serving plates. Set two chops on the puree so their bones cross one another, and if desired, garnish with a mint sprig.
• In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients thoroughly. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
• Peel and core the apples, chop them in 2-inch pieces, and add to a small pot. Add the cider, onion, and 2 teaspoons of the vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the apples are tender and the flavors have come together, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Transfer the apple mixture to a blender and add the butter, mint, and remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar. Blend until you have a smooth puree. Serve warm. This will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.

APPLE MINT GRANITA

Steps:

• Mix apple juice and mint leaves and allow to combine overnight in refrigerator. Strain mint leaves out of apple juice.
• Place a shallow metal pan in freezer. In a nonreactive saucepan, combine applesauce, mint flavored apple juice, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered about 20 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Pour apple mixture into chilled pan; return to freezer. Stir every 20 minutes until it thickens into coarse crystals, about 1 hour.
• Stir granita and mound into small cups. Serve immediately.

CELERY APPLE GRANITA

Steps:

• Crush vitamin C tablet in a bowl with back of a spoon, then line a sieve with dampened flour sack cloth and set over bowl.
• Purée apples with 1/3 cup water in a food processor (do not use a blender) until almost smooth, then pour into cloth. Bunch up cloth around mixture and squeeze as much clear juice as possible through cloth (about 11/2 cups). Discard solids remaining in cloth. Rinse and wring out cloth, then return to sieve.
• Purée tarragon with remaining 1/3 cup water in processor until water is deep green, then add celery and purée until almost smooth. Pour into lined sieve and squeeze out juices (about 1 1/2 cups) into bowl with apple juice. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Freeze mixture in an 8-inch square baking dish, scraping and stirring with a fork every 30 minutes, until frozen, at least 3 hours. (It will be too hard to scrape once fully frozen.)

GRANNY SMITH, GINGER, AND BASIL GRANITA

Steps:

• Slice apples and process enough slices in juicer, skimming and discarding any foam, to measure 3 1/2 cups juice, then transfer juice to a large bowl and stir in vitamin C and lemon juice. Process ginger in juicer, then stir 1 tablespoon ginger juice into apple juice.
• Pulse together sugar and basil in a blender until sugar is bright green and basil is finely ground, then stir into apple juice until sugar is dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve into an 8- to 9-inch metal baking pan.
• Freeze, stirring and crushing lumps with a fork every hour, until evenly frozen, 3 to 4 hours. Scrape with a fork to lighten texture, crushing any lumps.

APPLE TARRAGON SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the apple cider, wine, clam juice and shallots. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until reduced by two-thirds, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Whisk in chilled butter slices. Add apple and tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot over grilled or broiled trout.