Red is Stop. Green is Go. Pink is Yum.

Waugh firefox crash just sucked my post into a void :(
Needless to say, I have a serious problem.
Pictured above is a sorbet, an ice cream, and a frozen yogurt. Not pictured is another four or five ice creams, another sorbet, and well.. probably some other stuff, too. My fridge is full of ice creams... FULL! Well, onto the recipes...

Red Wine Strawberry Sorbet with Black Pepper

• 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and washed
• 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
• 1 c dry red wine
• 2 c sugar
• 1 T vanilla paste
• 1/2 fresh ground black pepper
• 1 t balsamic
• 1/2 t citric acid (if strawberries are out of season, or to taste)

Toss strawberries with lemon juice, balsamic, vanilla, and citric acid, set aside. Meanwhile put wine, sugar, and black pepper on the stove. Warm over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour syrup over strawberries, stir, let cool to room temperature then refrigerate until chilled.
Puree or blend strawberries until smooth, then prepare according to ice cream manufacturer's instructions.


Thai Basil Coconut Ice Cream
**Under Construction!**: Re: I didn't log it, and it needs work anyway... I want to say I based it off of this recipe from Kitchen Therapy but looking at the recipe to say I based them off one another is a very very loose interpretation...

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

• 1 pound plus 2 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and washed
• 2/3 c sugar
• 2 C strained plain vegan soy yogurt
• 1 T agave
  
• 1 t lemon zest
• 2 T red wine
• 1 t balsamic vinegar
  
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 t citric acid
  
• pinch salt
  
• dash lecithin

OK I should say straight up, pretty much every ingredient after the yogurt is semi-optional, if you don't have it, don't stress it. Don't have open red wine? Use kirsh, or vodka, or rum, or nothing, or whatever. And so on... HAVE FUN! Anyway, that said, dice the strawberries, toss them with the sugar and liquor. Let sit for 2 hours.
When two hours have passed, blend with the rest of the ingredients, chill in refrigerator. When chilled, prepare according to manufacturer's directions.

I am going to say that the posted recipes are 'sketches.' These are rough guidelines I followed in the kitchen. I often find recipes restrictive and when it comes to flavouring, I explore with abandon. Not having some things listed rarely stops me from making something. In the case of the strawberry sorbet, rather than opening a bottle of red wine I used 1 C of a red wine black pepper sorbet I had left over, which was very dry without much sugar. In that red wine sorbet I used some leftover concord grape sorbet. I am constantly using things as much to get rid of them as I am to explore and experiment. I do advise you to do the same, though admit my boldness may be bolstered by my compression-based ice cream maker that does not need recuperation time to make a second batch...

Remember, failure is just an excuse to cook even more, and if you are sticking to the sort of ingredients life happened to hand to you it isn't like you invested any money in the recipe... Speaking of things being handed to you, next up is going to be the Brown Sugar Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers...

Mango-Tequila Sorbet spiked with Serrano Chilis

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Originally uploaded by vapidchick

So a friend told me about a spicy mango sorbet he had at a local Ice Creamery... And well... me being the cocky cocky cook that I am thought "Anything they can do I can do better."
There are many reasons I don't really like eating out, that extend beyond my vegan values... and that mantra is one of them.

While I have never eaten this purveyor's spicy mango sorbet, I have no shortage of affection for this one. On the spiciness factor, all but one friend was fine with it. The latter claimed that I assaulted her with it and made her eat it, "but the cilantro one was really good." I know that after a few bites I am I need a glass of (almond) milk.

Onto the recipe!

Mango-Tequila Sorbet spiked with Serrano Chilis

1 Umeboshi plum (Eden)
32 oz Frozen mango chunks (Trader Joes/365 Organic)
1 pinch salt (Pink Himalayan)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 T jaggery (Thai taste)
3 T tequila (Salza brand, Hornitos)
2 T lime juice or to taste
3 Serrano chillis, seeded (or more, depending on preferred spiciness)
1 T raw almond butter (maranatha)

Make a simple syrup with the water and sugar (bring to a boil in a sauce pan, for a few minutes, then let return to room temperature)

BLEND ALL!

Chill. Churn according to ice cream machine's instructions...

Substitute sugar mix with an agave/water blend (sweetened as you like) to make raw.

Also I recommend checking out the up close close full size photo here..

Tis pretty :)

Coming up were the accompanying sorbets... a Cilantro-Rum Lime Sorbet, and a savoury Roasted Red Pepper and Chipolte ice cream.