“This dish is really easy to prepare and serve later, and can easily be scaled up to serve 50 people if you like,” says Robertson. “It tastes delicious and is perfect for hot days. It’s a dish you have to prepare the day before – the granita needs to set overnight in the freezer before you can serve it.”
Ingredients
Lemon and ginger granita
Cashew praline
Method
Main
1.For lemon and ginger granita, stir sugar, ginger, chilli and 500ml water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then remove from heat. Add lemon juice, cool to room temperature, then strain into an oversized container and freeze overnight – the large container means you can scratch the granita up tomorrow and it won’t spill everywhere, melt, and leave a sticky mess in your kitchen.
2.For cashew praline, spread cashew nuts on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cook sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat without stirring until melted, then bring to the boil and cook until dark caramel in colour (3-4 minutes).
Pour caramel over nuts (be careful, this is very
hot and can burn). Stand until cooled and hard,
then break into pieces and crush with a mortar
and pestle or the handle of a heavy knife. Store in
an airtight container until required. This can be
made a couple of days ahead.
3.Heat a barbecue or a char-grill pan to high heat. Top and tail the pineapple, leaving the skin on, halve it lengthways and cut each half lengthways into 4 wedges, making 8 in total. Grill the pineapple cut-side down on each side until you get lovely char lines on the flesh (2-3 minutes each side).
4.To serve, place the pineapple in serving bowls. Scrape the granita with a fork and place 2-3 tablespoonfuls on top of each serving of pineapple, sprinkle with the cashew praline and Thai basil, and you’re off.
Drink Suggestion: Intense golden botrytis riesling. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes
