Tomato Granita Recipes

Steps:

• Blend together tomatoes, Sherry, sugar, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids.
• Pour tomato mixture into an 8- to 9-inch nonreactive baking dish and freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Scrape and stir with a fork, crushing any lumps. Continue to freeze, scraping once or twice, until evenly frozen, about 2 hours more.
• Cut celery, cucumber, and radishes into fine julienne strips, then toss in a bowl with oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve granita with vegetable julienne.

Steps:

• Whisk the tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, hot sauce, parsley, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon celery salt in a large bowl. Juice half of the lemon; add to the bowl along with the olive juice. Transfer 1 cup of the mixture to a bowl and stir in the vodka; cover and freeze until ready to serve (it will not solidify). Pour the remaining tomato juice mixture into a baking dish, cover and freeze at least 3 hours, stirring with a fork after 30 minutes to break up any ice crystals.
• When ready to serve, scrape the granita with a fork so that the texture is similar to crushed ice. Cut the remaining lemon half into 8 wedges. Thread 2 pieces celery, 2 olives and 2 lemon wedges onto 4 skewers, alternating the garnishes. Mix the paprika and remaining 1/2 teaspoon celery salt on a plate. Moisten the rim of 4 glasses with a damp paper towel and spin them in the seasoning to coat. Pour some of the vodka mixture into each glass and top with the granita; garnish with the skewers and serve with a straw and spoon.

Steps:

• Simmer the water and dissolve the sugar to form a simple syrup. Pour over the tomatoes and let cool.
• Using a blender, puree the tomatoes, syrup and remaining ingredients until perfectly smooth. Taste for seasoning. Remember: The flavors will be slightly muted when this is chilled.
• Place in your icecream maker and follow manufacturers instructions OR.
• Pour into a non-reactive, freezer-safe dish and place in the freezer. Stir this mixture every hour until firm. The texture will depend on the tomatoes. Higher sugar content produces softer granita and less produces harder-icier granita.
• Pull out of the freezer a few minutes before serving, to soften. Shave the granita ice with a fork or icecream scoop.

Steps:

• To prepare granita, place vinegar, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and seeded peeled tomato in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Place tomato mixture in an 8-inch square baking dish; cover and freeze until firm, stirring twice during first 2 hours. Remove mixture from freezer; scrape entire mixture with a fork until fluffy.
• To prepare salad, arrange tomato slices on a platter. Sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Top with granita. Sprinkle with basil.
• Serving size = 3 tomato slices and 2 tablespoons granita.