Cucumber Sorbet

Paletas, Mexican ice pops, are one of the most delicious things about Summer. They are quite different from your standard ice pop in the sense that the flavors can be crazy - salty plum, spicy tamarind, and my favorite, spicy cucumber! There are also your standard fruit flavors, but the unique ones are so much better.

Our little family are members of our local "Farmer Club." This is exactly what it sounds like. You go to the farm near our condo and work - plant seeds, weed the fields and harvest. As it's summer, cucumbers are growing like crazy. We have so many from the farm and they are massive.





That photo doesn't really show the size unless you look at the salad bowl in the back. This one maybe gives a bit of perspective.




I've been trying to figure out what to do with our abundance of cucs. Slice and eat? Check! Slice and put in water? Check! Stir fry with chicken? Check! Then I remembered my favorite paleta - cucumber!!!

As I madebanana ice cream last week, the maker was ready to go. Cucumber sorbet, here we come!!

Cucumber Sorbet

1kg cucumber (about 3 massive ones)
2/3 cup sugar (it's all I had left, but I'd probably do a bit less next time)
2/3 cup water (keep the sugar to water ratio 1 to 1)

Peel and chop the cucumbers. place them in a blender and blend until smooth (I only have a hand blender, so I had to do this is batches). Meanwhile make a simple syrup by heating the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves.




Once you have your puree ready, run it through a sieve to make sure any big chunks don't get in the mix.




Place your strained puree in the ice cream mixer (or a large Tupperware) and stir in your simple syrup. The let the machine do it's magic (or give it a stir every once in a while).

When it's all ready, it really is a beautiful shade of green. I think it's delicious as is, but Y said, "mmm, it's not my favorite. Can you make the banana one again?" Fair enough. I think you have to get it out of your head that it's a sweet. It's more savory, totally light and refreshing.

Next time, I think I'll grate some extra cucumber and mix it in at the same time that I added the syrup. I think little baby bits would be nice. I also might squeeze a lime in there as well.

While it is delicious on it's own, if you add some spice, preferably Chile con Limon, which I'm sure you could pick up at any Mexican grocer, it is even better!!




I've just gotten K to bed. Time to sneak off to the kitchen to grab another bowl!!

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