Concord Grape Sorbet

Recipe from Martha Stewart 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

I received a large bag of concord grapes from a friend who purchased them at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. Then, a week later, we were invited tour friend, Carol’s house for dinner. It was a hot evening and the plan was that we would all take a dip in their pool. When we got to their farm house surrounded by soy bean fields, we asked if we could tour their garden before dinner. Lo, and behold, they had a very large, very beautiful grape arbor with seating underneath. The grapes were at their peak and the aroma was wonderful! How many times in a lifetime do you get to sit under a grape arbor and sip margaritas at sunset? I was inspired to make something with the grapes. I found this sorbet recipe and gave it a try. It’s a keeper! It has an intense grape flavor and the purple color is really pretty! We tried it out on our friends, Janet and Nathan. Nathan and I had our dips in cones purchased at Lost River Market & Deli, while Janet and Jim ate theirs from a dish.

• 1 1/2 pounds Concord grapes (1 quart container)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup Simple Syrup (recipe on this blog) (I used a bit more syrup to taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Prepare an ice bath; set aside. Combine grapes and the water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the liquid begins to bubble and grapes start releasing liquid, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat, and simmer until juices are dark purple and grapes begin to break apart, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Pass mixture through a food mill and then through a fine sieve into a large bowl set in the ice bath; stir frequently until completely cool. Stir in simple syrup and lemon juice. (If you don't have a food mill, you can use an immersion blender to lightly blend the grapes and then pour the grape mixture through a sieve to separate the seeds and skins from the juicy pulp.  I usually borrow a food mill from a friend.
3. Transfer mixture to an ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container, and store in the freezer until ready to serve, up to 2 weeks.