Cucumber Sorbet With Cucumber Salsa

The Washington Post, May 9, 2007

• • Cuisine: American
• • Course: intermezzo

Summary:

This tantalizing cucumber sorbet is popular at the Inn at Little Washington, offering another dimension to the usual palate refresher.

You'll need an ice cream maker for this sorbet. it took about 35 minutes to make and needs a few hours' time in the freezer before serving.

Makes about 2 cups salsa and 1 1/2 quarts sorbet

Ingredients:

For the salsa

• • 1/2 large, seedless, peeled English cucumber
• • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped dill
• • 2 teaspoons finely minced jalapeño chili pepper
• • 1 tablespoon finely minced red onion
• • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• • Pinch salt
• • Pinch sugar

For the sorbet

• • 2 1/2 large, unpeeled, seedless English cucumbers
• • 2 large egg whites
• • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• • 1/2 cup sugar
• • Freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
• • 1 teaspoon salt
• • 1/4 cup finely chopped dill
• • 2 tablespoons lemon-flavored vodka

Directions:

For the salsa: Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the sorbet: Puree the cucumbers (you should have about 4 cups). Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are frothy.

Add the corn syrup, sugar, lemon juice, salt, dill and lemon-flavored vodka to the cucumber puree, then add the egg whites, stirring to mix well. Process in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's directions. Freeze for several hours. Serve the sorbet sprinkled with the cucumber salsa.

Recipe Source:

From chef Patrick O'Connell.

82 calories, n/a fat, n/a saturated fat, n/a cholesterol, 212mg sodium, 19g carbohydrates, n/a dietary fiber, n/a sugar, 1g protein.