Strawberry Lime Granita Food

FRESH STRAWBERRY GRANITA

Steps:

• Rinse strawberries with cold water; let drain. Transfer berries to a blender and add sugar, water, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and salt.
• Pulse several times to get the mixture moving, then blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a large baking dish. Puree should only be about 3/8 inch deep in the dish.
• Place dish uncovered in the freezer until mixture barely begins to freeze around the edges, about 45 minutes. Mixture will still be slushy in the center.
• Lightly stir the crystals from the edge of the granita mixture into the center, using a fork, and mix thoroughly. Close freezer and chill until granita is nearly frozen, 30 to 40 more minutes. Mix lightly with a fork as before, scraping the crystals loose. Repeat freezing and stirring with the fork 3 to 4 times until the granita is light, crystals are separate, and granita looks dry and fluffy.
• Portion granita into small serving bowls to serve.

STRAWBERRY GRANITA WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Puree strawberries, sugar, and salt in processor until smooth. Add water and lemon juice and process to blend. Strain into 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Cover with foil and place in freezer. Stir with fork every hour until frozen, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen. Using fork, scrape granita down length of pan, forming icy flakes. Return to freezer. Beat 1 cup chilled whipping cream until firm peaks form. Divide cream among dishes. Spoon granita over and serve immediately.

FRESH STRAWBERRY GRANITA

Steps:

• Stir first 3 ingredients in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Blend 3 cups strawberries in processor until smooth. Add sugar syrup and blend until combined.
• Pour mixture into 13x9x2-inch nonstick metal baking pan. Freeze until icy around edges, about 25 minutes. Using fork, stir icy portions into middle of pan. Freeze until mixture is frozen, stirring edges into center every 20 to 30 minutes, about 1 1/2 hours. Using fork, scrape granita into flaky crystals. Cover tightly and freeze. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.) Scrape granita into bowls. Garnish with berries and serve.

CRYSTAL LIGHT STRAWBERRY GRANITA

Steps:

• Blend ingredients in blender until smooth.
• Serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY LIME GRANITA

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour into a 9×9 pan and place in the freezer.
• Put your timer on for 45 minutes and every 45 minutes take the mixture out and give it a stir with your fork, making sure to mix well.
• Continue until frozen and "fluffy"
• Serve with fresh strawberries and lime slices. Enjoy!

STRAWBERRY GRANITA

Steps:

• Put the strawberries and water in a bowl and then blitz with a hand blender until most of the berries are puréed or use a food processor for a smoother texture.
• Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir a few times to combine.
• Pour into a sealable container, cover and put in the freezer for two hours.
• After two hours, take it out and run a large spoon around the outside, mixing the frozen bits into the unfrozen centre.
• Return to the freezer for another hour, give it another mix, and then freeze again for one last hour.
• Now you should have a whole box of strawberry"snow crystals".
• You can serve it now, or just leave in the freezer for another day.
• If you continue to freeze it, remember to leave enough time to let it sit in the fridge for 30-40 minutes before you want to serve the granita, so you don't have a solid mass.

STRAWBERRY LIME GRANITA

Steps:

• Make a simple syrup the night before, or up to a week ahead of time.
• In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium high heat; add the sugar and stir to dissolve, about 30 seconds.
• Reduce heat to low and cook another 5 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened.
• Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
• About 3 to 4 hours before you will serve the granita, chill a 13x9 inch metal baking pan in the freezer.
• Combine the strawberries and lime juice in a blender; puree on high speed.
• Reduce speed to low setting and add the simple syrup.
• Blend for a few seconds just to incorporate.
• Take the chilled pan from the freezer and pour in the fruit mixture; return to freezer, uncovered.
• After an hour, the mixture should have just begun to set in the middle.
• Using a fork, break up the crystals and swirl around until you have a wide pile of mush in the center of the pan.
• Freeze for two more hours, breaking up the crystals once or twice.
• To serve: remove pan from freezer and let stand several minutes, if frozen solid.
• Use a fork to break up mixture, then scoop, with a spoon, large mounds into serving dishes or martini glasses.
• Drizzle a heaping teaspoon of condensed milk over each portion and a squeeze of lime, if desired.
• Garnish with mint sprig and wedge of lime.

STRAWBERRIES WITH BASIL GRANITA

Steps:

• Make simple syrup: Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• Bring 1 cup of the simple syrup, the juice and wine to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Carefully transfer to a blender, add the basil and pulse until smooth (leave the filler cap off to let steam escape). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into an 8-inch square metal pan. Freeze 3 to 4 hours, scraping the mixture with a fork every 20 minutes to make it slushy; freeze until ready to serve.
• Cut off the tops of the strawberries and trim the bottoms so that they sit upright. Using a small melon baller, scoop out the inside of each strawberry to make a small cup. Fill with a spoonful of the granita.
• Serve immediately.
• Recipe courtesy of Food Network Magazine

STRAWBERRY AND MASCARPONE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place the water, 1/2 sugar, and mint in a small pan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Let simmer over low heat to steep the mint. Then strain the mint from the simple syrup. Discard the mint.
• In a food processor combine 2 cups of strawberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Run the machine to puree the strawberries. Add the mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, and salt. Run the machine until the mascarpone cheese is fully incorporated. Add the mint simple syrup and run the machine to combine. Place the strawberry mixture in an 8 by 8-inch glass dish and place the dish in the freezer. The mixture will take about 4 hours to freeze.
• To serve, use a fork to scrape the granita. Spoon the mixture into chilled bowls. Top with the finely chopped strawberries. Serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY AND MASCARPONE GRANITA

Steps:

• Place the water, sugar, and mint in a small pan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Let simmer over low heat to steep the mint. Then strain the mint from the simple syrup. Discard the mint.
• In a food processor combine 2 cups of strawberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Run the machine to puree the strawberries. Add the mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, and salt. Run the machine until the mascarpone cheese is fully incorporated. Add the mint simple syrup and run the machine to combine. Place the strawberry mixture in an 8 by 8-inch glass dish and place the dish in the freezer. The mixture will take about 4 hours to freeze.
• To serve, use a fork to scrape the granita. Spoon the mixture into chilled bowls. Top with the finely chopped strawberries. Serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY GRANITA

Steps:

• Mix sugar and water in a blender until sugar dissolves.
• Add strawberries and juice and blend until smooth.
• Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish.
• Cover and freeze 3 hours and stir well.
• Cover and freeze 5 hours or overnight.
• Remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes.
• Scrape mixture with a fork until fluffy.

STRAWBERRY GRANITA

Steps:

• Place the strawberries in a bowl with the sugar and stir to coat the berries. Line another bowl with a double layer of cheesecloth and add the berries.
• Gather opposite corners of the cheesecloth and tie tightly. Repeat with the other two corners, leaving the knot open to slip in a wooden spoon handle. Propping the spoon across the top of a large bowl, suspend the berries. Refrigerate overnight.
• Squeeze as much juice as possible from the berries. Correct for sugar and stir in the salt. Reserve the pulp for jam.
• Pour the strawberry juice into a nonstick baking dish. Freeze for several hours. Use a spatula to cut and scrape the frozen juice into an ice the consistency of snow. Refreeze before serving. Place a few scoops of granita in a bowl and drizzle a few drops of the vinegar over it. Serve.

BASIL AND LIME GRANITA

Steps:

• In a pan, dissolve the sugar in the water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat, and add the basil leaves. Mix and leave to cool.
• When it is cold, remove the basil leaves and discard them. Add the lime juice, including any fleshy bits, and mix.
• Pour into a large freezer proof container, and put into the freezer.
• Every 15 minutes, for 2 hours, take out of the freezer and mix it up. Then every half an hour until the granita appears grainy and the crystals have been broken down. It should resemble snow or coarse sand.
• Enjoy!

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.