I feel very fortunate to have been able to spend this weekend mentally regrouping in Ancram, SoCo (in a wonderfully air-conditioned home with a feed of the NBC and BBC Olympic coverage!).
I am writing this as fast as I can in a thunderstorm that threatens to knock out power any second.
I took the opportunity to make three different sorbets today using local flavors -- loosely adapted from Epicurious and other foodie/cooking sites that came up on Google.
1. Lime Fawlty Sorbet
Basil is growing like a weed right now. Well, it is at the local farm where we pick up veggies every Saturday morning. Here's the recipe.
2 cups simple syrup (1 cup water, I cup cane sugar)
20 large basil leaves
3/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup Core Vodka (local vodka made from apples with distinct flavor. Any vodka will do)
After bringing the water and sugar to a boil, take the solution off the heat and add shredded basil leaves. Put the mixture in the freezer for a half-hour, or until cold, and then strain to remove leaves.
Add lime juice and vodka and blend in an ice-cream maker until firm. When making sorbets, I sometimes heat the vodka to reduce the alcohol which slows the setting of the sorbet. But at this concentration is isn't necessary. Good result. The flavor is sharp, almost ginger-like, and is fantastic on seasonal fruit salad.
2. Buckwheat's Watermelon Sorbet
The local watermelons are really good at the moment. They are very seedy, which is a pain, but the sweetness and color are exceptional. Here's the mix.
1 cup simple syrup (1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup cane sugar)
8 cups of seeded watermelon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup of Campari
Make the simple syrup and chill the solution. Seed 8 cups of watermelon and put the pieces in a Cuisinart with simple syrup, lemon juice and Campari. Whizz it until you get a very smooth soup. At this point you need to move fast. It you don't immediately transfer the liquid to the ice-cream maker, it will start siphoning out through the space between the blade and the bowl. I find this happens making gazpacho in the Cuisinart, also. Let the ice-cream machine do it's thing until the sorbet looks like a very firm slurpy. If you let it go too long the water will freeze and separate making it granita-like. Either way, it's really refreshing, if a little bland. It works well if you are making more than one frozen dessert as a companion flavor.
3. Columbia County Cuke Sorbet
Two local elements in this one. Basil and cucumber.
2 cups simple syrup (1 cup water, 1 cup cane sugar)
20 basil leaves
2 large cucumbers
1 lime (for juice and zest)
Make the custom simple syrup. After bringing the water and sugar to a boil, take the solution off the heat and add shredded basil leaves. Put the mixture in the freezer for a half-hour, or until cold, and then strain to remove leaves. Add the zest and juice of a lime. Peel and remove the seeds from the cucumbers. Pinch of salt and then into the Cuisinart until you have a smooth soup. Place in an ice-cream maker and again, don't leave it in there too long. You do need that much sugar to make a sorbet texture. Result: The cucumber flavor really comes through and the lime and sugar balance each other well. Great palate cleanser. Would also be fun floating in a gazpacho.
Conclusion. Anything can be sorbeted (pronounced saw-bayed) and I would make these three flavors again.
