Clear
Creek Plum Granita
(featured in Taste Makers, The Oregonian, July 12, 1998)
Years ago, Susan Conklin, a sales manager at Will Vinton Sutdios, lived next door to another creative Oregonian: Steve McCarthy, lawyer turned America’s best maker of eau-de-vie and the owner of Clear Creek Distillery. For the fun of it, Conklin began experimenting with her favorite recipes and McCarthy’s exceptional brandies. From chicken to cakes and creme caramel, Conklin converted everyday eats into memorable mouthfuls with the essence of Oregon’s fruitful bounty.
One of Conklin’s favorite summertime recipes is her Clear Creek Plum Granita. Using Willamette Valley plums and McCarthy’s exceptional blue plum brandy, she’s captured the perfume, taste and luxury of a just-picked, plump, ripe plum. Adapted from a "Bon Appetit" recipe, Clear Creek Plum Granita is a delicious light, refreshing summer dessert or intermezzo between a several course meal.
Makes 4 servings.
3 large or 4 (about 1/2 pound) medium fresh plums, quartered
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon plum brandy, preferably Clear Creek
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts for garnish
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish
Place the plums in a saucepan with 1/4 cup sugar and water. Simmer until the plums are tender, about 20 minutes. Pour the plums and the liquid into a food processor or blender and puree. Using a fine sieve, strain the mixture into a mixing, pressing the juice through with the back of a spoon. (The pulp can be discarded.) Add the plum brandy, wine and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar to the plum juice and stir until blended.
Place the plum brandy mixture in the refrigerator to cool. Pour the cooled mixture into a 11- by-7 by 2 1/2 inch shallow pan and freeze for 3 hours. Remove the pan from the freezer, and puree the frozen mixture in a blender or food processor just until smooth. Pour the slush back into the freezing pan and freeze until serving time. Or, you can freeze the mixture in a clean sorbet or ice cream pint container you’ve recycled.
To serve, use an ice cream scoop. If the plum ice is frozen solid, remove it from the freezer 30 minutes before serving. Place the ice in martini glasses or wine glasses and garnish with chopped pistachio nuts and mint sprigs.
from Susan Conklin
This recipe is recommended for the beginning cook.