cucumber ice cream

prep time:  tbd
cook time:  45 minutes
servings:  tbd

ingredients:
2 cucumbers - peeled and deseeded
generous 3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups double (heavy) cream
scant 1/4 cup gin
juice of 1 large lemon
3 drops of bergamot oil

steps:
1.  chop the cucumbers finely and place in a saucepan with water and sugar.  cook gently until the cucumbers are totally tender, about 45 minutes.

2.  strain the cooked cucumbers and place in a jug (pitcher).  bas them to a puree using the end of a rolling pin.  pass the puree through a fine sieve and add the cream, gin, lemon juice and bergamot oil.  give the mixture a thorough stir and pour into an ice cream machine to freeze.

- goop, october, 2011

lemon custard ice cream

prep time:  10 minutes
cook time:  15 minutes
refrigerate time:  4 hours
freeze time:  2 hours
servings:  8

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 cups milk
4 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

steps: 
1.  if using a gel-canister ice-cream maker, freeze canister overnight. 

2.  stir together 1/4 cup of the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl to evenly distribute zest.  stir in juice. set aside.

3.  place a large bowl and strainer on heatproof surface near stove.  combine milk and yolks in a heavy, nonstick, medium-size saucepan.  stir in remaining sugar.  cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with rubber scraper, until instant-read thermometer just reaches 190 degrees - about 15 -20 minutes - or until slightly thickened (do not let mixture boil).  strain immediately into bowl, stir in salt.

4.  add lemon mixture to bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves.  place wax paper directly on custard and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours.

5.  to freeze, add cream to custard, stirring just to combine.  pour into ice-cream maker, process 30 minutes as per manufacturer's directions.

6.  scrape into a 1 1/2 quart container.  freeze to firm completely, about 2 hours.

- family circle

grilled pear sundaes

prep time/cook time:  15 minutes
servings:  6

ingredients:
4 medium slightly rip pears, peeled and cored
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of pepper
2 cups vanilla ice cream
3 teaspoons honey

steps:
1.  coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before staring the grill.  prepare grill for indirect heat.

2.  cut each pear crosswise into six slices.  combine the sugar, cinnamon, and pepper; sprinkle over pears.  transfer to a grill wok or basket.  grill pears, covered, over indirect medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until tender.

3.  for each serving, arrange four pear slices on a plate with 1/3 cup ice cream.  drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon honey.

- light & tasty, june/july 2006