Watermelon Granita

I was browsing around trying to figure out what to do with the other half of a Watermelon, left over from the weekend. In the past I made Gazpacho. This time I wanted a frosty drink, or Sorbet type food. I found the term Granita floating around the foodie blogosphere, and had no idea what it was. However, it sounded like something I needed to try. Granita, in its simplest form, is a granular, frozen dessert. Here is a link to a Watermelon Granita on The Food Network's site.

For my Watermelon Granita, I started with half a watermelon, and sliced off the rind and cubed it on a cutting board. I ended up getting hungry and probably ate my way down to 4 cups. I then filled up the blender as best I could with the remaining watermelon. I was out of sugar, so that ingredient was omitted, I threw in 1TBS each of Lemon and Lime juice. To add a little bit of color and flavor, I washed and chopped 5-6 leaves of fresh spearmint.
The general consensus was to rake or fluff the mixture every hour in the freezer until you feel you can leave it and it won't freeze together. I was doing ten different things, and started raking at 45 minutes, and again at the hour and a half mark. A few more times and it was close to a snowcone consistency. The mixture was a little on the sour side. I remedied this by drizzling honey over top, which instantly congealed and created a taffyesque top. I ended up with exactly what I desired, a frozen refreshing treat that utilized the last half of a watermelon. Enjoy!!!
I would also like to extend a congratulations to my food blog friends, Kirby Von Scrumptious, and Liz at Yo Soy!. Their blogs were featured on Leftover Queen's Finest Foodies Friday.


Watermelon Granita
4 cups of Watermelon
2 TBS of Citrus juice (sour)
1 TBS of sugar, dissolved
Ice

Blend until smooth, freeze. Every hour, rake mixture with a fork until Granular.

Essential Herbs in a Chefs Garden

Herbs can be found in everything from from desserts, to cocktails. I much prefer to use fresh herbs whenever possible. Therefore, I would like to give you my top 5 herbs to grow in your own terracotta pots.

1. Basil
2. Mint
3. Cilantro
4. Parsley (Italian)
5. Rosemary or DillBasil (pictured)- I use this in many dishes. Anything that involves cheese or tomatoes can safely use fresh Basil. I love marinating sliced tomatoes in Olive Oil with Garlic and fresh Basil overnight. Basil is my go to staple Herb. Whenever I move, I always plant a fresh pot of Basil. Above is my new Basil plant in California.

Mint - I think Mint may have even more uses than Basil. It is such a pungent and flavorful herb. For me, drinks are its primary use, although it complements any fresh fruit. I also use it in Salsas and Desserts. Just understand that Mint is an invasive herb, and will take over the area where you plant the herb. To start out with, I would highly suggest a terracotta pot for this one.

Cilantro - The Mexican/Spanish Herb. Definitely a must for Salsas, Guacamole and fresh Tacos. There is no comparison when it comes to a Mexican dish with and without fresh Cilantro.

Parsley - The good old Italian Herb. Can be found in many Soups and Italian Dishes. A great versatile Herb to have on hand.

Rosemary, Dill- Fresh Rosemary is a taste to experience. Once you start cooking with Fresh, you will never go back. Dill has a distinct taste and complements Carrots among other things. However, I feel the herb has a more narrow appeal than the other herbs listed.
Other Herbs I would consider are Thyme, Sage and Lavender.

I hope you enjoyed my top 5, now it's time to go find some Herbs, get a few pots and plant your own, before you know it your cooking will be more robust, flavorful and enhanced.

Directions for planting: Take plant and break apart the root system. Put an inch - two inches of soil in the bottom of your pot. Add plant. Hold it up so that the roots are about an inch below the surface of the pot, and add soil to fill up the pot. Add water. Enjoy!