It is HOT out here in Los Angeles this August! Fabienne and I are both trying our hand at Limoncello this summer – stay tuned for the Limoncello blind tasting battle ; – ) As a result, I was sitting on a bevy of lemons without their rinds looking to be juiced. I decided to make some Lemon Mint Granita because I truly need something refreshing right now!
My favorite recipes are the ones you can make without going to the market. Sometimes things you just happen to have on hand can be turned into a little magic with very little effort. I could equally have made Lemon Ginger Granita or Watermelon Mint Jalapeño Granita but opted for Lemon Mint as that was what my son Zak requested.
Juice, boil, freeze. What could be easier? Enjoy!
Lemon Mint Granita
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
5 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup lemon juice (4-6 lemons)
Zest from 1 lemon
1 good sized bunch of mint (save a few sprigs for garnish)
large pyrex 9×13 or thereabouts
Instructions
Zest a lemon with a vegetable peeler. You can keep it in large pieces.
Bring sugar, water and zest to a boil then turn off heat and add mint. Stir to combine.
Let steep for 10 minutes then pour through sieve.
Add lemon juice to mixture and pour into pyrex.
Put in freezer for 45 minutes. If ice crystals have formed scrape top layer and sides with fork to create small ice chunks. Put back in the freezer and repeat after 30 minutes and enjoy. If you forget the granita in the freezer and it is solid frozen just leave it out for 10 minutes to defrost a bit then scrape with fork.
