Melon Apple Granita Food

GREEN APPLE-MINT GRANITA

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and 2 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes; transfer to a blender and let cool completely.
• Add the mint to the blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into an 8-inch-square stainless-steel or glass baking dish. Finely grate the skin of the apple into the pan (you won't need the rest of the apple), then stir in the lime juice.
• Freeze until ice crystals begin forming around the edges, about 45 minutes. Use a fork to scrape the crystals toward the center of the pan, then continue freezing, scraping every 30 minutes, until frozen, about 4 hours.
• Avoid aluminum pans-they can react with the acidic ingredients and produce a metallic taste. Use stainless steel or glass instead.

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:

• Tip the sugar and 125ml/4fl oz water into a saucepan. Scrape in the vanilla seeds and put in the pod as well, then heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 6-8 minutes to make a sugar syrup. Leave to cool and remove the vanilla pod.
• Halve the melons, scoop out and discard the seeds, then scoop the flesh onto a board and chop to a slush with a sharp knife (or you can do this in a food processor). Mix the sugar syrup and melon slush together with the lemon juice in a large shallow baking dish. Freeze uncovered for about 1 hour until crystals form around the edges. With a fork, stir the edges into the centre and mash well, then return to the freezer until crystals form again. Stir and refreeze as often as you can (say every half an hour or so) until the granita is frozen all over - this should take about 3 hours. Fork it up roughly when you serve it.

ROASTED PINEAPPLE WITH GREEN TEA AND MELON GRANITA

Steps:

• Peel and cut 1 pineapple into 2-inch cubes. Using a vegetable juicer, juice the cubed pineapple, (you can also use a food processor to puree the pineapple and press it through a strainer lined with cheesecloth so that you are left with pure juice). Pour the juice into a saucepan with the cardamom. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, set aside, and let the cardamom infuse.
• Peel the remaining pineapple and cut horizontally into 1-inch round slices. Cut out the center core with a small size round cutter. Place slices of pineapple in the pineapple juice, bring to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Let cool and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
• The following day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove pineapple slices from the juice place on a sheet pan. Roast in the oven until tender, about 30 minutes.
• To plate, place warm pineapple in a bowl and top with a scoop of Green Tea Melon Granita.
• Place the melon in a bowl. Add the ground ginger, green tea powder, and honey. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and strain into a shallow 9 by 13-inch metal pan or dish.
• Stir in the lime juice, let cool, and then freeze overnight.
• The following day, remove the granita from the freezer, scrape with a fork to make the granita, and return to freezer until ready to serve.
• Yield: 6 servings

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.

CREAMY MELON GRANITA

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, combine melon with condensed milk, lime or lemon juice, and salt. Puree until smooth. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish; freeze until firm. Before serving, scrape with a fork until it has the texture of shaved ice.