I have a weakness for the juice/smoothie case at Whole Foods, and last weekend when we stopped in to get a few things for dinner, I found a new flavor I hadn’t tried before, called Red Ginger Lime.  I can’t remember who made it, but it was delicious — a sharp bite from the ginger, a tart kick from the lime, and a little bit of sweetness from some blood orange juice (which also turned it a lovely shade of deep magenta).  I was eager to try the ginger-lime combination again, and I’ve been wanting to break out the ice cream maker, so I made sherbet a few days later.  We had some watermelon that needed to be eaten too, so I used it to cut the sourness of the limes a bit.  (I’ve got something else with the ginger-lime combo cued up for later this week…)

The difference between a sorbet and a sherbet is the addition of dairy — sorbet is generally all fruit juice, while sherbet has some milk or cream.  I wanted this to be a bit creamy, so I opted for sherbet, which I think also lasts a little longer in the freezer before becoming icy, from the extra fat I guess.  I also wanted a very tart sherbet, which I got, but it’s maybe a little on the edge of too tart.  If you don’t like your mouth to pucker, I would definitely suggest adding more sugar or honey, or a little less lime juice.

Finally, it’s not quite gingery enough, honestly, and I think this to some extent depends on how strong your fresh ginger is.  But I found that the ginger flavor seemed more muted when frozen than before, and that the tartness of the limes was more pronounced after it was frozen, so that should help guide you to add more or less ginger and honey.

A very refreshing summer treat!

Watermelon Lime Sherbet

Adding alcohol helps keeps homemade ice cream from getting too icy, since the alcohol doesn’t freeze. The Cointreau could easily be substituted for something else though, such as vodka, or even vanilla. Even if you include the alcohol, the ice cream should be eaten within a couple days or it will get hard to scoop in the freezer.

Makes about a pint.

1/2 T grated ginger (about a 1″ piece), or more
zest of 2 limes
1 c cream
2/3 cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)
3/4 pound watermelon, seeded and cut in pieces (for 1 1/2 c puree)
1 T honey (or more to taste)
1 T Cointreau (optional)

Bring the cream to a simmer, or heat it gently in the microwave. Stir in the ginger and lime zest, and let steep for about half an hour. If you want your ice cream particularly smooth, you can then strain it, but I didn’t bother.

Puree the watermelon. Add the cream, lime juice, honey, and Cointreau, and puree together in a blender. Taste and adjust sweetness. Chill thoroughly (at least a couple hours).

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack down and freeze another hour or so before serving (optional, but it may be pretty soft just out of the ice cream maker).

I know we’re late to join the bandwagon, but we enjoyed this salad all through last summer, and now that watermelon and tomatoes are starting back in season, it seemed like it was about time to share this with you.  My parents lived in Atlanta very briefly at the beginning of last summer.  It didn’t work out so well, but they say at least one good thing came out of it — they went to a restaurant that served this salad.  I’m not even a big tomato fan, but when it’s combined with watermelon and feta cheese, as has become popular lately, it becomes something wonderful.  And the way my parents serve this salad is all about the presentation.  It’s simple and quick, but elegant and a bit “dressed up” looking at the same time.  It’s especially nice with both yellow and red tomatoes, as shown here.

Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta Salad

Adapted from we-don’t-remember-what-restaurant in “the ATL.” Serves 4

small watermelon
2 tomatoes (heirlooms are particularly pretty)
1/2 c feta cheese
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
1/4 c basil

Slice the watermelon into thin half moons (about 1/4″ thick). Layer two slices on a plate at angles with each other. Slice the tomatoes in 1/4″ slices and top the watermelon with two tomato slices. Sprinkle each plate with a couple tablespoons of cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top with the basil, cut into thin ribbons.