Some like it cold
It's written by Nadia Roden, the multi-talented daughter of Claudia Roden, whose name is mentioned in whispered reverential tones by those of us who love her many authoritative works on Middle Eastern cooking, Italian and Jewish Food.
Nadia came from a family where the kitchen was the most exciting room in the house. As a child, she often took her paints to work there while her Mum tested recipes or cooked for family and friends.
Now, years later, the pleasures of cooking and tasting have inspired her to write this delightful book. At this stage, Nadia, who now lives in New York, is not only an accomplished cook in her own right but also an award-winning painter and animator who has created textile designs for the Gugenheim Museum, Metropolitan Opera and Radio City Music Hall, as well as Neiman Marcus, Harrods and Liberty of London . among others. Nadia brings the same sparkling creative edge to ices, sorbets and granitas with pairings of ingredients that surprise and delight whether served as an intermezzo (aka between course palate cleaner), an appetiser, snack or dessert or even for breakfast tucked into a warm brioche.
Single flavour granita can of course be truly delicious but let's also have fun with some sinfully delicious contemporary versions think ginger or pomegranate, rosemary or green tea or a sauternes granita served over freshly sliced peaches or nectarines.
The innovative use of herbs, nuts, spices, teas, wines and spirits as well as vegetables, such as red pepper and tomato, horseradish, cucumber or carrot and fruits, from plums and pears to kiwi and cranberry elevate these glittering frosted crystals to something absolutely irresistible.
All you need is a little imagination and a little space in your freezer.
Remember to taste before you freeze all sorbets, water ices and granitas should taste sweeter than you would like them to because freezing dulls sweetness.
Strawberry sorbet with
fresh strawberry sauce
Italian sorbets and granitas are legendary. If I had to choose just one it would have to be strawberry.
Serves 6-8
2 lbs (900g/6 cups) very ripe strawberries
Juice of 2 lemon
Juice of 2 orange
2 lb (225g/1 generous cup) castor sugar
3 pint (150ml/generous 2 cup) water
Garnish:
Fresh mint leaves
A few sugared strawberries
Fresh strawberry sauce:
14 ozs (400g/2 ¾ cups) strawberries
2 ozs (55g/2 cup) icing sugar
Lemon juice
Dissolve the sugar in the water, bring to the boil, simmer for 2-3 minutes, leave to cool. Purée the strawberries in a food processor or blender, sieve. Add the orange and lemon juice to the cold syrup. Stir into the puree.
Freeze in a sorbetiere or a covered bowl in a freezer, (stir once or twice during the freezing to break up the crystals). (see foolproof food)
Meanwhile make the coulis, clean and hull the strawberries, add to the blender with sugar and blend. Strain, taste and add lemon juice if necessary. Store in a fridge.
To Serve: Scoop out the ice cream into a pretty glass bowl and serve with a few sugared strawberries and fresh strawberry sauce. Decorate with fresh mint leaves.
Lavender & Honey Granita
Serves 4-6
450ml (16floz) water
175g (6oz) lavender honey (225g/8oz if
using Champagne)
1 ½ tablespoons lavender flower heads
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
350ml (12floz) Champagne (optional)
Gently simmer the water, honey and lavender together in a saucepan for just a minute. Cover and set the mixture aside to steep until cool. Strain out the flowers. Stir in the lemon juice to taste and the Champagne. To freeze granita, follow one of the methods shown in foolproof food.
From Granita Magic by Nadia Roden.
