Tangerine Sorbet

The summer of 2010 was full of micro-farming, friendly dinners and lunches, and delicious learning experiences thanks to my friends Eddie, Stephanie, and Iris. They are the founders of Cuatro Caminos Collective. They planted the seed to what is now a number of micro-farms, gardens, coops, and urban dinner gatherings. (Yes, yes, I know.)

That same summer, Atticus, Christopher, and I enjoyed the fruits of our labor (ba-dam-bam!) in the cozy little home in San Dimas, California. A bountiful pomegranate tree, a couple of varieties of summer squash vines,  a sun-ripened berry bush, gigantic Swiss chard plantings, and fragrant herb plants provided the food that graced our breakfast, lunch, and dinner plates.

One superstar that has since perished was the tangerine tree. Those were the absolute best tangerines I have tasted! My father-in-law, along a few other nit pickies, complained about the amount of seeds in these tangy, sweet treats. But, I grew up accustomed to seeds. In fact, I am completely freaked out that in the US we are hard pressed to find a single grape (organic or otherwise) that contains a single seed. It’s just doesn’t seem right.

This recipe is one that everyone with a fondness for citrus, even those folks who cannot stomach the idea of unwanted seeds touching your lips, will enjoy. To quote my pal Eddie about this one, “I felt like I was in that one movie, Ratatouille. But instead of food, I was chasing after an ice cream truck.”

Well, I have seen the flick, and I’ve enjoyed it, so I’ll take that as a compliment to the nature gods of tangerine fruit trees.

Be sure to always use the most fresh and tasty ingredients. It makes a world of difference.

Ingredients:

3/4 C sugar, organic, raw
3/4 C water
2 c tangerine juice, from about 16 tangerines, CHILLED
1 C liquid of choice* (milk, cream, rice water, Prosecco), CHILLED
*I used water in which rice had been soaking overnight, and I thought it was perfect.
1/4- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (make sure it’s pure … no added shtuff)

ice cream maker

Directions:

Make-ahead Syrup
Stir water and sugar in a small saucepan.
Heat over medium heat until sugar is just dissolved (no more stirring).
Put in refrigerator in a small container.
Allow to chill completely.

Pour syrup, juice, chilled liquid of choice, and vanilla into the opening of the ice cream maker.
Turn machine on.
Allow 25-30 minutes to work into an icy goodness.
Pour into a freezer-safe container with lid and allow to set for 2 hours in freezer.
(I stirred it up after 30 minutes, so that the end-product was not too stiff or icy.)