Honeydew 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.

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.

HONEYDEW GRANITA SPRITZER

Steps:

• Working in batches, puree 6 cups cubed honeydew melon in a blender. Pour puree through a fine sieve into an 8-inch square nonreactive dish.
• Put 1/2 cup water and sugar into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stir into puree. Add fresh lime juice; stir to combine. Freeze, covered, at least 6 hours (up to 3 days).
• Scrape granita with a fork; spoon about 1 cup granita into each of 6 glasses. Pour 1/2 cup seltzer into each glass; garnish with lime peels.

HONEY-DEW AND SAKE GRANITA

Steps:

• To make the granita:
• In a small saucepan combine the sugar and 3-1/2 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring. In a blender purée the ginger with the syrup, the wine, and the food coloring, chill the mixture until is cold, and stir it. Transfer the mixture to 2 metal ice-cube trays without the dividers or to a shallow metal pan and freeze it, stirring and crushing the lumps with a fork every 30 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is firm but not frozen solid. The granita may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and frozen. Scrape the granita with a fork to lighten the texture.
• On each of 4 plates arrange 2 of the honeydew slices and top 1 of the slices on each plate with a scoop of the honeydew and sake granita. Top the other slices with a scoop of the pickled ginger and plum-wine granita.

HONEYDEW MELON & STRAWBERRY BELLINI GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine melon, strawberries, and lime juice in a blender. Blend until smooth and strain. Pour into a medium sauce pot with sugar. Heat until the sugar dissolves, no need to boil.
• Remove from heat and add sparkling wine.
• Pour into an 11x7 inch baking dish, cover and freeze for about 1 hour. Remove from freezer and scrape with a fork every 30-45 minutes. Repeat this process for about 4 hours, or until granita is light and fluffy.
• Serve in a pretty glass of your choice with a sprig of mint.
• Enjoy.

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.

HONEYDEW GRANITA

Steps:

• Place sugar in a small pan with 3 tablespoons water and lime juice.
• Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, around three minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Cut honeydew in half, remove seeds, peel and chop into chunks.
• Transfer to a food processor.
• Add sugar mixture and salt.
• Process until slushy.
• Transfer mixture to a 9-inch metal square baking pan and freeze for an hour.
• Stir with a fork to break up chunks around the edges.
• Freeze until completely frozen or about 2 hours longer.
• Continue stirring with fork every 30 minutes to loosen ice crystals.
• Serve in chilled glasses or bowls.