Pineapple Granite

(Made on 03 December 2006)

I use this dish (and similar dishes) primarily as palate cleaner between starter(s) and main course(s). It can equally be made with fresh and canned pineapple although I prefer fresh when possible. If you use canned then reserve the liquid from the can to sweeten the granite.

Ingredients:

1. One whole pineapple;
2. 20 grams fresh mint leaves;
3. 150 ml champagne (or white vine or sweet desert vine or even vodka but you’ll need a sweetener such as honey to go with the vodka);

Preparation:

1. Cut up the pineapple and reduce to mash in a food processor;
2. In a mortar mash up the mint leaves and gradually work in the champagne;
3. Mix the three ingredients in a large bowl and put into the freezer for four hours. Every thirty minutes take the bowl out and stir the granite. The idea is to end up with a flaky substance that you’d scoop up with a teaspoon.
4. When it comes time to serve the granite and if it is too hard then either put it into a microwave oven for 20 sec or mix a bottle cap of a liquid such as champagne or vodka per serving. I serve the granite in whisky tumblers with teaspoons.