Pomegranate and Mint Sorbet

Today was the perfect summer day to work in the garden.  My spring herbs are at their peak. 

 I had a little extra help today.  My granddaughters were happy to help me pinch the blossoms off the tops of my thyme, which could not be more perfect.  They rub their hands across the lavender.  Smells so nice.  I love to give my herbs a ruffle as I'm working in the garden just to fill the air with their fragrance.  My peppermint was just begging me to make this perfect summer sorbet.  

After working hard Cosette and Emi were ready to cool off with a Popsicle.  

The mint kept calling me to make sorbet. 

I did.

Pomegranate and Mint Sorbet is quick and so refreshing.  You will need only a few ingredients.

16 oz. bottle of 100% Pomegranate juice (POM)

1 cups orange juice

1/3 mini chocolate chips

1 cup mint simply syrup

for the Mint simple syrup you will need:
A handful of fresh mint
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar

To make the syrup, add the 1/2 cup water to a sauce pan.

Add a good and packed cup full of fresh mint.  I like peppermint the best.  You can use what you have.

Bring to a simmer for about 3-5 minutes.

Cover with a lid and let steep for 20 minutes.

Strain the liquid.

Discard the mint.

Shouldn't this be green?

Doesn't matter the Pomegranate juice will make it a brilliant red.

You should have 1/2 cup.

Pour the liquid back into the sauce pan.

Add 1 cup sugar.

Stir until the sugar dissolves and bring to a simmer.

Remove from the heat and pour into a container to cool. 

Let the simple syrup cool completely.  I try to make the syrup a day ahead and just keep it in the refrigerator.

Once the Mint syrup has completely cooled,  pour the orange juice into a pitcher or other container with a spout.

Add the pomegranate juice.

Add the mint syrup.

Stir to blend.

You will need to use a table top ice cream maker.  This is 1 1/2 quart size.

***Very important:  Make sure the freezing bowl has been in the freezer for at least 24 hours.

You make want to follow the manufacturers directions.

I turn the machine on then pour the liquid into the running ice cream maker.  Let run for about 10-12 minutes.

During the last 10 minutes of freezing time add the mini chocolate chips.

Let the machine run for another 10 minutes.  

Let me tell you what you DO NOT want to do.  Let the ice cream maker run for 30-40 minutes thinking that this extra time will set the sorbet more.  NOPE!  It won't!  The liquid that freezes in the bowl begins to thaw.  This will do the same to the sorbet.  If you let it run longer than 20 minutes your sorbet will begin to melt back to it's original state...liquid.  Trust me on this.

Remove the center dasher.

Transfer the sorbet to a container and then place in the freezer until ready to serve.

Before you put the sorbet in the freezer don't forget to SAMPLE the goods.

I love the extra bit the chocolate chips give the sorbet.  You can, of course, omit them.  Your choice.  

The mint gives such a refreshing feel to the pomegranate and orange juice.  

If you will excuse me, all of this typing has made me work up a sweat.  Time to chill.

Pomegranate and Mint Sorbet

1 cup Mint simply syrup

2 cups Pomegranate juice (100 % recommended POM Wonderful)

1 cup orange juice

1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

In a glass pitcher, combine the Mint Simple Syrup, pomegranate juice and orange juice.  Pour the mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.  During the last 10 minutes of freezing time, add the mini chocolate chips.

Scoop the sorbet into dessert bowls and garnish with fresh mint sprigs, if desired.

Mint Simply Syrup:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup packed fresh mint leaves

In a small saucepan, combine the water and mint leaves over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cover with a lid.  Allow the liquid to steep for 20 minutes.  Strain the mint from the liquid and discard.  Return the liquid to the saucepan and add 1 cup sugar.  Stir until the sugar dissolves and bring to a simmer.  Pour into a bowl to cool.  Cool completely.  Syrup may be made in advance and refrigerated.  Makes 1 1/2 quarts of sorbet.  

Inspired by recipe from Giada de Laurentiis.

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Another use for No-Knead Bread Dough: Slow Roasted Tomato Sandwiches and Pizza

Over the past two months I have received over half of a million page views on a recipe that I posted over two years ago.  That post was for "Crusty Bread".  At the time I posted it I had no idea it originated from a "No-Knead" bread recipe originating from Jim Lahey.

I had seen Jim Lahey recently on the Martha Stewart show.  He made pizza from his no-knead recipe.  I thought it seemed like a brilliant idea and easy as can be.

They kids and I started using this recipe for our pizza creations and I have to admit they have been AMAZING!  

THEN I ventured to the brand new "City Creek" shopping mall in Salt Lake City.  My son had told me about a fast casual restaurant called Bocata which had been opened by one of our favorite pizza joints in SLC called Settebello.  He told me they baked the bread for their sandwiches in a wood burning oven.  

I decided to try it out.  It was a great sandwich that I found myself craving for several days.

I was pretty sure that this same no-knead dough would work for the buns that the sandwiches were built

on.  What the heck!  I'll play with the dough and see what I come up with.  

This  post is me experimenting with the no-knead bread recipe.  You are my Guinea pigs!  I think

the recipes turned out fabulous.  I used one idea to create a sandwich AND a pizza.  

Here we go.

Begin by making the no-knead dough recipe found here:  Crusty Bread

Follow the step-by-step recipe for the dough only.  It should take you about 5 minutes to make.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave out on your counter top for about 12-18 hours - give or take

It doesn't matter the exact length.  Just as long as it's at least 12 hours.  

After 12 hours your dough should look something like this.  It looks like a bubbly sponge.

It will be very sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a heavily floured surface.

Sprinkle the dough with more flour, flour your hands and anything else the dough will come in contact with.

Divide the dough in half.

Divide each half into thirds.  You should have 6 pieces of dough.

Take each piece of dough and fold the dough under itself to create a smooth ball.

Place each piece of dough onto a floured baking sheet.  I lined my baking sheet with parchment.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for at least an hour and up to 3 hours.

Very important:  At this point if you would like to use a pizza stone place it in your oven.  Hopefully it will heat to 500-550 degrees.  Let the stone heat at this temperature for one hour. 

If you can't get your oven to heat that high, just go as high as you can.

While the dough is resting, start slow roasting the tomatoes.

You will need:

2 lbs of small or cherry tomatoes 

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons sugar

fresh thyme or basil (forgot to put in pic)

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Oh and fresh mozzarella, but that's for later

Place the tomatoes in a baking dish.

In a small mixing bowl add the olive oil.

balsamic vinegar

Sugar

Fresh herbs of choice.  My choice in thyme because it is so beautiful in my garden right now.

Chop the 4 cloves of garlic.

Add to the olive oil.

Stir together.

Pour over the tomatoes.

Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for one hour.

Prepare yourself because the aroma coming from your kitchen will make you cry.

It's that fabulous.

After one hour the tomatoes will be soft and the skins will be cracked.  You will notice juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the dish.  These juices are to be savored.  Reserve them for a great pasta dish.

While to tomatoes are cooking a bit, let's get back to the dough.  

I'm going to start with making sandwich buns.  Remember you have had a pizza stone in your oven for an hour heating.  If you don't have a stone you can use unglazed tiles purchased from Home Depot or where ever.  I used them for years until I could afford a stone.  If you don't have either you can try just baking them on this baking sheet...dang I should have tried that!

The dough is still sticky so flour the heck out of your hands.

Carefully slightly flatten the dough.  Just barely.  You don't want to deflate the wonderful air bubbles inside.

I like to lift the parchment paper and flip the dough onto my hand.

Then turn it over again onto the hot stone.  

Ok.  This one turned out a bit oval.  I don't care.  It's all good.

Oh look.  My second one turned out a bit rounder.  I baked these two mounds of dough for about 10 minutes.  The really puffed up.  That's why I flattened them a bit.  Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack while you assemble the sandwich.

You will need that fresh mozzarella, the roasted tomatoes, baby arugula, fresh basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Slice the fresh mozzarella.

The bread is till pretty hot.

I'm using a clean cloth to hold the hot bun while I slice it.

Layer the mozzarella,

Warm roasted tomatoes

Fresh basil leaves.

Mound up some baby arugula and drizzle with a good olive oil.

Just a dribble or two of balsamic vinegar.

I like a sprinkling of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

MINE!  Amazing!  This was a successful experiment.  

Patting myself on the back.

Now let's try pizza.  I'm using the same little mounds of dough.  I just decided to do half sandwich rolls and half individual pizzas.

My son and I discovered that if you just gently form the dough into a pizza crust that the air bubbles will stay.  I really like the air bubbles after they have baked.  My son pulled and shaped while I took a rolling pin to the dough.  His was better.  Who knew?

Place the dough on a pizza peel that has been sprinkled with a bit of cornmeal.  The cornmeal will allow the

dough to just slide right off onto the hot stone.

Drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.

Brush the oil around the dough.

Coarsely chop the roasted tomatoes.

Oh whoops.  I forgot to take a picture of the mozzarella being placed on the dough.

Put the mozzarella on first THEN add the chopped tomatoes.

Slide the pizza onto the hot stone.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes.

When the crust is golden, slide the stone back under the crust.

Here is a little secret that my son does.  Place the cooked pizza on the top rack of the oven for just a few

minutes.  This will give you a great crisp crust.  We just really like doing that now.

Remove from the oven.

Top with fresh torn basil.

I decided that I want arugula on top of my pizza.

Take a handful of arugula and drizzle with olive oil.

Add a few drops of balsamic vinegar.

I'm tossing with my hands.

More kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Mound in the center of cooked pizza.

I think this is going to be amazing.

I was right.  It is amazing.

Slow Roasted Tomato Sandwiches

2 lbs small tomatoes

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoons sugar

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1- 2 lbs fresh mozzarella

6 fresh baked buns or purchased buns

Fresh basil leaves

baby arugula

extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

balsamic vinegar for drizzling

To roast the tomatoes:

Preheat oven to 325F.  Place the tomatoes in a baking dish.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme and sugar.  Drizzle over tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for one hour or until the tomatoes are soft and skins crack.

To assemble sandwiches:

Arrange slices of mozzarella and warm roasted tomatoes on a sliced bun.  Top with fresh basil leaves.  Mound with baby arugula and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. 

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I just created two different dishes with one basic recipe.  I loved them both.  In fact, I was chowing down on the sandwich when I realized that I was also chewing on my hair, which isn't long enough to reach my mouth.  Somehow it managed to get in there.  I think it's from inhaling my food.   Next time I want to add prosciutto to my pizza.   What will you add to your pizza?

This recipe for no knead dough is pretty forgiving and you can seriously make it in less than 5  minutes.  Start creating some fun meals by using this simple dough.  Then pass on your genius ideas.