Lemon-Mint Sorbet with Red Peppercorns
This was the very first item I prepared on The Kitchens
of Biró, and as with every recipe on the series, we shot the dish
preparation three times to make certain we'd get every possible camera angle.
When we wrapped on the recipe, the camera crew within minutes ate all three
gallons I'd prepared, saying they couldn't believe that lemon, mint, and
pepper work so well together.
Though you could use it as a warm-weather dessert, I serve Lemon-Mint Sorbet
with Red Peppercorns as an amuse-bouche. It has the qualities I'm looking for
in a meal prelude: it's refreshing and light, it cleans the palate, and most
importantly, it leaves my guests wanting more.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
juice of 4 lemons
zest of 3 lemons
1 ounce red peppercorns
1/2 ounce mint leaves, en chiffonade
mint leaves for garnish
peppercorns for garnish
Preparation:
If using an ice cream machine for this recipe, prepare the
bowl inserts as per your machine manufacturer's instructions. If you do not
have an ice cream machine, place a medium-sized stainless steel bowl in the
freezer to chill.
Place the cold water in a small saucepan. Add the sugar. Bring to a boil,
and then remove from heat. Allow to cool.
Add the juice and zest to the cooled sugar syrup mixture.
Place the peppercorns in a food processor and pulse until cracked, about 10
seconds. Add the peppercorns and mint chiffonades to the sugar syrup mixture
and stir.
Pour the mixture into your ice cream machine or chilled stainless bowl. If
using an ice cream machine, process according to your machine's
specifications. If using the stainless bowl method, remove from freezer
every half hour and stir. This process can take up to 2 hours, depending on
your freezer and the climate in which you live.
Presentation:
I like to use a clear, chilled 2-ounce shot glass for this
dish, as it looks modern and shows off the vibrant green and red colors. We
pipe the sorbet into the glass with a pastry bag fitted with a round tip.
Garnish with mint leaves and whole red peppercorns. Serve immediately.
Quick Tip: What is en chiffonade?
The French term en chiffonade translates literally
to "made of rags" and simply means to cut vegetables or herbs into thin
strips.
Wine Pairing:
NV Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
Brut
Reims, France
NV Gruet
Blanc de Noir
New Mexico
