Cantaloupe And Black Pepper Granita Food

CANTALOUPE AND BLACK PEPPER GRANITA

Steps:

• Purée cantaloupe, sugar, Muscat, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and freeze mixture until edges begin to set, about 30 minutes.
• Using a fork, scrape mixture to break up frozen portions. Freeze, scraping and breaking up every 20-30 minutes, until mixture resembles fluffy shaved ice, 2-4 hours. Serve granita topped with coarsely ground pepper.
• Do ahead: Granita can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and keep frozen. Scrape before serving.

CANTALOUPE AND MINT GRANITA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and 1 cup mint leaves over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.
• In a blender, puree the cooled syrup, cantaloupe, and lime juice until smooth. Taste, and adjust the sweetness by blending in 1 extra tablespoon of sugar at a time. Add the remaining mint leaves and blend until finely chopped. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-by-2-inch glass baking dish and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Use the tines of a fork to scrape the granita into chilled bowls and serve.

CANTALOUPE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place the sugar, melon and lime juice in a blender. Process the mixture until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Freeze for 2 or 3 hours, and then begin the process of lightly scraping the top frozen layer with a fork.
• Return the pan to the freezer with the shaved ice on top. Remove a couple of hours later and continue scraping with a fork. Repeat the occasional scraping process until the entire mixture is shaved.
• Store, covered in plastic wrap, until serving.
• Serve in pretty glasses with mint.

CANTALOUPE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in blender or food processor. Cover; blend on high speed about 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into 8- or 9-inch square glass baking dish.
• Freeze 30 minutes. When ice crystals begin to form at edges of dish, stir mixture with fork. Freeze 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours longer, stirring every 30 minutes, until firm.
• To serve, spoon into individual bowls.

CANTALOUPE GRANITA

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, cut melon in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon, and discard. Slice off and discard skin and pale-green flesh. Cut melon into large chunks.
• Place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and puree until smooth. Transfer to a nonreactive stainless steel bowl, and set aside.
• Combine sugar, lemon juice, and the water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat; let cool completely.
• Stir sugar syrup into melon puree; place in freezer, uncovered, until mixture is chunky, about 1 1/2 hours, whisking every 20 minutes to keep it from becoming too solid. To serve, divide among four shallow bowls.

CANTALOUPE WITH FETA AND BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• Sprinkle melon wedges with feta and season with pepper.

PEPPERY CANTALOUPE CUBES

Steps:

• Divide cantaloupe cubes into 4 dessert bowls.
• Using pepper mill, grind freshly ground black pepper over cantaloupe to taste.
• Note; Be sure to use freshly ground black pepper- I'm not sure if regular pepper would have the same effect.
• A very ripe cantaloupe, the sweeter the better, works best.

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.