Meyer Lemon Granita with Fresh Basil

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9x13 inch metal baking pan
• •Fine mesh strainer
• •Microplane zester
• •Citrus juicer
• •Fork for scraping

Instructions

1. 1

   Select your lemons

   Hold each Meyer lemon in your hand. It should feel heavy for its size, the skin thin and yielding slightly under gentle pressure. Sniff the stem end. A ripe Meyer lemon smells floral and sweet, somewhere between a lemon and a tangerine. This fragrance is the whole point. If your lemons are hard and have no perfume, wait for better ones.

   Meyer lemons peak from December through March. If you are making this in summer, standard lemons work, but add a tablespoon of orange juice to approximate the sweetness.
2. 2

   Make simple syrup

   Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely, about three minutes. You are not cooking anything here, just creating a vehicle for the lemon. The moment the liquid turns clear, remove from heat. Let it cool to room temperature.

3. 3

   Zest and juice

   Zest the lemons before cutting them. Use a microplane and work in one direction, rotating the fruit as you go. Stop when you see white pith. Cut the lemons in half and juice them through a fine strainer, pressing gently on the pulp. You need one cup of juice. Taste it. Good Meyer lemon juice should be bright but not punishing, with a floral sweetness that regular lemons lack.

4. 4

   Combine and season

   Whisk the lemon juice and zest into the cooled syrup. Add the salt. This small amount does not make the granita taste salty. It amplifies the lemon and makes the sweetness feel more alive. Taste again. The mixture should be intensely lemony, a touch sweeter than you want in the finished dish. Freezing dulls sweetness.

5. 5

   Begin freezing

   Pour the mixture into a shallow metal baking pan, no more than one inch deep. Metal conducts cold better than glass or ceramic. Place the pan flat in your freezer. Set a timer for forty-five minutes.

   A 9x13 inch pan works well. The shallower the layer, the faster and more evenly it freezes.
6. 6

   Scrape and repeat

   After forty-five minutes, ice crystals will have formed around the edges. Drag a fork through the entire pan, scraping the frozen edges toward the still-liquid center and breaking up any solid sheets. Return to the freezer. Repeat this scraping every thirty to forty minutes for the next three hours. Each pass creates more distinct crystals. The finished granita should look like a pile of glittering snow, not a solid block.

7. 7

   Serve with basil

   Scrape the granita into chilled glasses or bowls, mounding it loosely. Tear the basil leaves directly over each serving, letting them fall where they will. The warmth of your fingers releases the oils. Serve immediately. Granita waits for no one.

Chef Tips

• •Find Meyer lemons at farmers markets from December through early spring. They are worth seeking out. The flavor cannot be replicated by adding sugar to regular lemons.
• •If you can only find standard lemons, use them. Add two tablespoons of fresh orange juice and reduce the sugar by two tablespoons. It will not be the same, but it will still be good.
• •The basil must be fresh and fragrant. Supermarket basil that has sat in plastic for days has nothing to offer here. If your basil smells like nothing, leave it out.
• •Chill your serving glasses in the freezer for ten minutes before plating. The granita melts quickly, and cold glass buys you time.

Advance Preparation

• •Granita keeps in the freezer for up to one week. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Before serving, scrape with a fork to restore the fluffy texture.
• •The lemon syrup mixture can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Freeze the following day.
• •Do not add basil until the moment of serving. It wilts and darkens within minutes of contact with cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 145g)