Watermelon Sorbet
What says spring more than watermelon and sorbet...to me nothing. So I decided to combine the two for a lovely evening treat with your family or friends that simple and will make everyone think you put so much time into it. You can go pick up a whole watermelon and chop it into pieces yourself or if you want to cut back on the prep time you can just buy the pre cut and rinded treats in the grocery store (my preference sometimes). Another trick if you don't want to use sugar you may use agave syrup as an organic sweetener substitute, delicious all the same. Little history on this cool and palate refreshing treat:
It is surprising for most people to learn that the modern trend toward lighter and healthier sorbet as a frozen dessert alternative actually has a history that pre-dates ice cream by a thousand years. Nero, the Roman Emperor, during the first century A.D. positioned runners along the Appian Way. They passed buckets of snow hand over hand from the mountains to his banquet hall where it was then mixed with honey and wine. Asian culture also has a place in history for the first frozen desserts. At the end of the 13th century, Marco Polo returned from the Far East with recipes of concoctions made from snow, juice and fruit pulp. Frozen desserts are believed to have been brought to France in 1533 by Catherine de Medici when she left Italy to marry the Duke of Orleans, who later became Henry 2nd. By the end of the 17th century, sorbet hit the streets of Paris and spread to England and the rest of Europe where they were enjoyed by commoners and courtiers alike. The French are responsible for the culinary tradition of using sorbet to cleanse the palate between courses. Today sorbet can mark the end of a meal as something special with just the right hint of culinary glamour. It has become known as a healthier frozen desert that can be enjoyed anytime. Sorbet seems to have an unlimited flavor roster. Savory sorbets such as celery, gazpacho, olive oil, garlic, and other non-traditional ingredients have become more common. (via sorbet.com)
I have used many recipes for making my sorbet at home in my ice cream, two of my favorites being from the Cuisinart ice cream maker's recipe booklet itself and the other from "Martha Stewart's Cooking School" book. I recommend you start with a base recipe and then just make it your own, adding additional extracts, fresh mint, homemade simple syrups, etc into the works.
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon lime zest
8 cups watermelon chunks, seeds removed (about 1-inch pieces)
Directions
Combine sugar, water, and lime zest in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. Strain syrup through a wire-mesh strainer, discarding the zest. In a blender or food processor, combine diced watermelon and simple syrup and blend until mixture is pureed. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. When sorbet is frozen, remove from ice cream freezer put in a plastic container freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Scoop out and place in martini glasses w/ additional watermelon slices for garnish