Mint and Melon

Styled by Taylor Bennett 
Photograph by Kelly Moore Clark

This Watermelon Granita, paired with homemade mint ice cream, strikes a delightful balance of salty and sweet. This duo is the ultimate summer treat.

Mint Ice Cream
1 cup whole milk
2 cups mint leaves
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
5 egg yolks
a pinch salt

Watermelon Granita
3 cups watermelon 
1/3 cup sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon flaked sea salt

To make the mint ice cream, in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk, sugar and one cup of heavy cream until it begins to bubble on the edges. Remove from heat, then add mint leaves. Cover and let steep for a couple of hours. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until smooth.

Reheat the mint mixture. Drizzle 1/3 of the warm mixture into the bowl with egg yolks in a stream while continuously mixing. Pour the egg yolks in the saucepan, and slowly heat until thicken and the mixture coats the back of the spoon. 

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and mix in the remaining cup of heavy cream. 

Chill completely, then follow the instructions on your ice maker to churn.

For the granita, add watermelon, sugar and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. 

Add the mixture to a shallow freezer-proof dish and place in the freezer. After 30 minutes, scrape the mixture with a fork moving any ice crystals from the edges to the middle and breaking up any large pieces. Continue to scrape every 30 minutes until the mixture is fully frozen. 

Sprinkle the granita with sea salt before serving.