I uncover strawberries and basil a fairly irresistible combination, and I’m also a sucker for the distinction of a bowl of area-temperature berries with an ice-cold granita, potentially with a dollop of something creamy to spherical items off. And which is where the inspiration for today’s recipe arrived from. The cashew cream and the granita maintain for a very good couple of weeks, too, so make extra and you’ll have some to hand the next time a punnet of luminescent strawberries catches your eye.
Strawberries with cashew product and Thai basil granita
I prefer to use Thai basil in this granita, not minimum for the reason that I adore its unique floral fragrance, but if you just cannot get maintain of any, European inexperienced basil will work, too.
Prep 10 min
Prepare dinner 25 min
Freeze 4 hr+
Serves 4
135g caster sugar
1 smaller bunch Thai basil (about 20g)
50ml elderflower cordial
250g cashew nuts
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp fennel seeds
1 x 400g punnet strawberries
Make the granita initially, for the reason that it will want to freeze, which will just take nearly anything among four and six several hours. Set 75g of the caster sugar in a modest pan with 75ml cold h2o and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Just take off the heat, depart to amazing a little, then set in the fridge to chill.
Decide on a handful of the smallest Thai basil leaves and put them in a sealed container in the fridge. Pop the relaxation of the bunch of basil, stalks and all, in a blender with the elderflower cordial, the chilled sugar syrup and 125ml cold h2o, then blitz smooth. Go the granita combine by means of a good sieve into a broad container that will suit in your freezer (retain the solids still left guiding in the sieve – they make a beautiful infusion for chilled h2o just be confident to pressure it in advance of ingesting). Pop the lid on the container and set it in the freezer for an hour.
Scrape the ice crystals all over the edges into the a lot more liquid centre, then freeze again. Repeat each hour for 4 to six several hours, right up until the granita is the consistency of slushy snow. Depart in the freezer until completely ready to serve. (In the restaurant, we just go away the combine to freeze solid, and scrape it only when we have to have to serve.)
Toast 60g of the cashew nuts in a dry frying pan, or in a 190C (170C enthusiast)/375F/gasoline 5 oven. Set the remaining 60g caster sugar in a heavy-based mostly saucepan on a medium-substantial warmth, and carefully shake the pan until eventually the sugar begins to melt do not stir it, though, or the caramel may well crystallise. As the sugar carries on melting, shake and swirl the pan until eventually the sugar turns into a deep caramel, then tip in the toasted nuts, salt and fennel seeds. Stir promptly to incorporate, then quickly scrape out on to a metal tray and go away to cool. When cooled, roughly chop the resulting cashew praline.
Place the remaining 190g cashew nuts in a blender with 225ml cold h2o, blitz right until they’re silky-sleek, then set in the fridge to chill. Meanwhile, hull and quarter the strawberries (or halve them if they’re on the tiny side).
Spoon a quarter of the cashew product into each and every of 4 shallow bowls, then top with the strawberries and a scattering of the chopped praline. Take the granita out of the freezer, scrape it with a fork, so it once more appears to be like slushy snow, then pop a scoop on top rated of the strawberries in each and every bowl. Finish with a number of of the reserved chilled basil leaves and provide.