Total time: 15 minutes, plus freezing time


Servings: Makes enough to serve as an accompaniment for 8 to 10 servings of gazpacho


Note: Use this cucumber ice as a garnish for tomato gazpacho.






2 cucumbers, each about 11 ounces


2 tablespoons lemon juice


1/4 cup chopped onion


1/4 cup chopped green pepper


1 teaspoon salt


3 sprigs mint


3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


1/2 cup water


1. Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cut the cucumbers into chunks. Puree the cucumbers in a blender with the lemon juice, onion, green pepper, salt, mint, oil and water. This makes about 21/2 cups puree.


2. Pour the cucumber puree into two 9-inch metal cake pans. Freeze.


3. To serve, remove the granita from freezer 5 minutes before serving. Use a fork to scrape the ice into mounds. Add the scraped ice to the gazpacho immediately before serving.


Images and recipes courtesy of Los Angeles Times