Make sorbet.
That's right. Sorbetto. Delicious, fruity, soft, cold and tantalizing. Who doesn't love anything that sort of resembles ice cream? Well, truth be told, I prefer sorbet. I love the fresh fruit flavor that dominates the tongue and the cool, glistening, refreshing slush that slides down my throat cooling me off on a hot day. Ice cream doesn't always do that. Sometimes, the cream hinders the cooling effect. And for those out there who cannot eat ice cream because of the cream, sorbet is a wonderful alternative. In many parts of the world, it's revered for cleansing the palate and brightening the tongue. Perfect words for a perfect food.
Now, my job, as creator of my own recipes and seeker of healthful foods that fit what my body craves, I had to make my own and not in the standard way! Oh, no! That would be too easy.
Actually, though, you will find that this recipe is really easy. Too easy, in fact, to be as good as it is. And best part of all, no ice cream maker required. When I first set out to make this, I assumed it would be more like a granita, but that's not what happened. Nope. It turned out to be ever-so sorbet-like, soft and smooth.
Well, let's stop talking about it...let's eat!
Homemade Strawberry Sorbet with Agave
(no ice cream maker required!)
This soft, creamy sorbet is a delectable treat any time of day!
Serves 2 - 4 (depending on how much you want!)
1 cup water
3 cups strawberries, washed, destemmed and chopped
¼ - ½ cup agave (or to taste) or honey
Juice of one lime
Pinch of sea salt
Place water, strawberries, lime juice and sea salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to boil and add agave to taste. Allow mixture to boil for about 10 minutes (more if desired) or until the water has reduced by half. Remove from heat and mash strawberry mixture up with masher. Pour mixture into a sturdy glass dish and allow to cool to room temperature. Place dish in freezer and mix with a fork every hour or so, until it reaches desired consistency (4 – 6 hours). Spoon into individual dishes. To garnish, add a little whipped cream or non-dairy topping and devour.
Variation: Use 1 ½ cups strawberries and 1 ½ cups of any other fruit – peaches, bananas, raspberries, blackberries, etc. Same directions as above.
Adventurous variation: Strawberry-Basil Sorbet ~ Add 1 tbsp of chopped fresh basil to strawberry mixture in saucepan. Continue as directed.
