Author Notes: I had this bottle of verjus from Navarro Vineyards for a while before I finally popped it open because I was not quite sure what I wanted to do with it. It is so mellow and bright that I decided to make a granita.
I do not boil the mixture here because I do not want to kill the bright flavor; just dissolve sugar at room temp and let spices infuse for as long as suits you. This would be good with champagne or as a palate cleanser. Very refreshing.
—Rebecca Vitale
Makes: 700ml (about 3 cups)
Ingredients
-
500
milliliters verjus (about 2 cups)
-
100
grams granulated cane sugar (between 1/3 and 1/2 cup)
-
2
cardamom pods, crushed
-
3
long peppers (aka “pippali,” “piplee,” etc), chopped roughly — otherwise substitute 20 whole black peppercorns
-
cold water
Directions
- Combine all ingredients except water in a clear glass bottle or a large bowl. Cover.
- Let sit at room temp several hours to overnight, swirling occasionally to dissolve sugar (bottle is convenient for shaking).
- Strain into a measuring cup. Discard solids. Add a balance of cold water up to 700mL.
- Transfer to medium/large metal bowl. Place in freezer. Check every 30min or so, scraping down icy sides to maintain even texture. Repeat every 30min until smooth and completely frozen.