From Chef/COO Joshua Riazi, Culinary Hub of Providence (CHOP)
This strawberry granita with Persian flavors is complex yet simple and fresh. The tartness of the sumac, pomegranate molasses and lemon pair perfectly with sweet strawberries and creamy labneh. It’s best when local strawberries are at the peak of ripeness. It’s easy to make, though it does require attention each hour for several hours until frozen.
Strawberry Saffron Granita with Orange Labneh and Pistachios
From Chef/COO Joshua Riazi, Culinary Hub of Providence (CHOP)
Ingredients
Strawberry Saffron Granita:
- 1 pound strawberries hulled and halved
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
- 1 teaspoon sumac plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 4 tablespoons rosé or white wine
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Labneh:
- ½ cup labneh
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest or chopped candied orange peel
- 1 teaspoon orange juice or orange blossom water
Garnish:
- 4 teaspoons pistachios crushed
- 4 teaspoons local honey
- Pinch sumac
- 4 mint leaves
Instructions
- For the granita, add all the ingredients to a pot and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let the saffron steep for 5 minutes.
- Add the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. (Optionally, pass the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the strawberry seeds.) Pour into a baking dish or hotel pan that allows the mixture to settle about ¾ inch deep. Place in the freezer.
- Every hour, run a fork over the top of the mixture to scrape the frozen mixture into ice shavings. Repeat until the entire mix is frozen and scraped, about 4–6 hours. It should look like shaved ice when finished.
- Next, mix the labneh, orange zest and juice (or orange blossom water) together in a bowl.
- To serve, divide the labneh among 4 serving bowls or balloon wine glasses. Top with the granita and more labneh. Garnish with the pistachios, sumac, a drizzle of honey and a mint leaf.
