HONEY-DEW AND SAKE GRANITA

Honey-Dew and Sake Granita image

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

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1/2 cup sugar
the flesh of a 3-pound honeydew melon plus, if desired, 8 thin round slices of honeydew melon for garnish
1/4 cup sake
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
pickled ginger and plum-wine granita:
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons pickled ginger slices (available at Asian markets and some supermarkets), rinsed
1/4 cup plum wine
2 drops of red food coloring if desired

Steps:

To make the granita:
In a small saucepan combine the sugar and 3-1/2 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring. In a blender purée the ginger with the syrup, the wine, and the food coloring, chill the mixture until is cold, and stir it. Transfer the mixture to 2 metal ice-cube trays without the dividers or to a shallow metal pan and freeze it, stirring and crushing the lumps with a fork every 30 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is firm but not frozen solid. The granita may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and frozen. Scrape the granita with a fork to lighten the texture.
On each of 4 plates arrange 2 of the honeydew slices and top 1 of the slices on each plate with a scoop of the honeydew and sake granita. Top the other slices with a scoop of the pickled ginger and plum-wine granita.