Lemon Basil Sorbet

Here’s a sweet way to use your fresh basil, from member Steve Falcon ~

This easy sorbet avoids cooking your lemon basil, leaving its lovely

flavor unharmed. The recipe uses acid from a little lemon juice to

balance the sugar, but the basil provides most of the lemon flavor

without the puckering tang of a lemon recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups medium-pack lemon basil leaves

1-1/4 cups sugar

2 medium organic lemons

2-1/2 cups water

Place your sorbet container in the freezer to pre-cool.

Heat 2 cups water and 1-1/4 cups sugar in a saucepan until completely

dissolved. Allow to cool slightly and pop into the freezer to chill

cold. But don't let it freeze.

Put 1/2 cup water in the food processor and add the lemon basil

leaves. Blend well to a slurry.

Wet a clean cloth and wring it out. Push the center of the cloth into

cup and pour the lemon basil slurry inside, scraping out every bit.

Lift the corners of the cloth and begin squeezing, working your way

down to press all the juice out into the cup. You can finally twist

the cloth to wring out the last drop.

Pour half of the sugar water into your ice cream machine. Add the

lemon basil juice and 4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice. Top

off with the remainder of the sugar water - hopefully your machine can

take all of it.

Run  your machine until the sorbet is as thick as it will get. This

sorbet melts fast. Transfer QUICKLY into the pre-cooled container.

Smack the container a couple of times on the counter to shake it down.

Cover and QUICKLY get it into the freezer.

After a few hours freezing, it should scoop easily but not melt instantly.

Feel free to experiment with quantities. Adding more basil, sugar and

lemon juice will give you an amazing powerful batch. Reducing them

will give you a nice palette-cleanser for your next fancy feast.

Substitute spearmint leaves for basil, and use only 2 tablespoons

lemon juice for an equally excellent mint sorbet. (Don't be surprised

when this one doesn't come out green, but rather a light tan color.)

Enjoy!