Watermelon is wonderful just as it is but if you want to do a little something different for National Watermelon Day, Emeril Lagasse’s My First Watermelon Granita can be a fun change of pace. This is one of my favorite summertime treats. This time when I made it, I used a yellow seedless watermelon that had a bright, citrus-y flavor on it’s own. The recipe intensified the citrus-y element, which makes for wonderfully bright and light taste.
My First Watermelon Granita
- 5 cups peeled and seeded watermelon chunks (from about a 3-pound slice of watermelon)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Place the watermelon chunks in the bowl of a blender or a food processor, replace the top, and blend on high speed until very smooth. Turn the blender off.
- Transfer the watermelon puree to a mixing bowl and add the sugar and lime juice.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer the mixing bowl to the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the freezer and use a fork to scrape any ice crystals from the sides of the bowl. Stir to incorporate the crystals. Return to the freezer.
- Repeat this scraping procedure every 30 minutes, or until the consistency is “snowy” when scraped with a fork or spoon, at least 4 hours. Then scoop into bowls or dessert glasses and serve.
Bon appetit!
Debra
