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The online cookbook for entertaining and gourmet recipes. |
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Peach and Mint Granita
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Recipe serves:
6
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A Little Background
A dilemma I often face in summer when I have friends over for barbecue’s, is that their appetites start to wane, with all the food thrown at them. It may be my European origins that make me think overfeeding guests is the only way to feed them at all or it could be the heat of summer reducing their appetite. Whatever the reason I have found a way to overcome it and it doesn’t involve me serving any less food, it involves spreading the food out over a longer period. This is often the case at dinner parties as well, for many people eating from course to course encourages a lack of interest. That is where this granita or any iced puree comes in handy. Serve a very small amount of it to your guests as a refresher between courses and not only will it spread the food over a longer period but it will give your guests a fresh palette with which to enjoy the next course. Obviously in the hotter months it makes for a wonderful dessert as well.
What you'll need
- 4 peaches (peeled and pitted)
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- 1/3 cup of water
- 12-16 leaves of mint
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What to do
- Place the sugar and water in a saucepan put on medium heat for approx 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile slice the peaches into thin slices and ad to the saucepan and cook a further 1 minute, and remove from the heat.
- Pick the leaves off the stalks of mint and chop finely using a sharp knife to prevent bruising.
- Puree the peach and sugar mix in a blender or processor, once smooth pour into a relatively shallow freezer proof dish or tray, leave for 15 minutes, add the mint and stir with a fork.
- Replace to freezer and continue to scrape with fork every 30 minutes or so to ensure even crystals.
- I like to add a little peach schnapps in place of some of the water, (but I don’t cook the alcohol off, another trick for happier guests, sshh!).
- Serve in a martini glass as a dessert, or shot glasses as a palette cleanser.
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HTML Printable (no Image)
HTML Printable
Recipe By
Paul Hegeman
Styling By
Paul Hegeman
Photography By
Jason Hamilton
© Chef's Pencil 2007
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