freddo/chilly

I can feel the *side eye* stares from many of you.  But give it a chance!  This Tomato Basil Sorbet was delicious!

Have you noticed a chilly environment at the Mele Cotte household lately, since I brought an ice cream maker into the house.  Oh the creamy goodness that has passed through that machine and into my freezer…red wine, blackberry, peach…so yummy.  Last week, I make my first sorbet as part of a cookbook review (to be posted on Flanboyant Eats on a date to be determined). It was a fun experience because it was a first for me, and making sorbet is a bit different from making ice cream. As you know, ice cream is made from cream and (oftentimes) milk along with flavorings and sweeteners. Sorbet, on the other hand, does not contain milk and/or cream, but is made up of fruit purées, and herbs and/or spicy flavorings. After tasting the frozen papaya treat, I began to look around at what else I could freeze into a sorbet!  So, I tried my hand at a savory profile, tomato to be specific.

I worked similarly to the way I made the papaya sorbet, adding in a little instinct as well. I probably should have Googled the sorbet prior to attempting it, as I later found recipes on Epicurious, Thomas Keller,  among others…but I didn’t.  It didn’t matter, though.  My Tomato Basil Sorbet came out fantastic!  Its savory sweetness was subtle, making it easier to consume in moderation.  Yes…in moderation.  That way, it can be used as a type of a jump start to a meal, something to prompt the brain and taste buds to communicate?  In addition, the savory sorbets also works as a delicious palate cleanser in between courses, right?

Tomato Basil Sorbet

¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
4 ripe tomatoes
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil + 3-4 med – large leaves

Bring the sugar, water, and basil leaves to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Rough chop tomatoes add to a blender with chopped basil.  Puree the tomatoes until smooth.  Combine puree with the simple (basil) syrup, lemon juice, salt, tomato paste, and basil. Place in the refrigerator to chill. Process the mixture in an ice-cream maker according the manufacturer’s instructions.

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For those of you who are still a bit skeptical, here are a few familiar yummies for you – a topsy turvy “dummy cake” I did last week, and some hot dog cookies I made for a BBQ this weekend, using my go-to sugar cookie dough.