Cucumber Granita

Ingredients:

• 1 large cucumber (peeled, seeds removed)
• Juice of 1 lime (or ½ lemon)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional for silkiness)
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
• Fresh dill or mint (optional, for garnish)

Method:

1. Blend it: Chop cucumber and add to a blender with lime juice, olive oil, salt (and sugar if using). Blend until completely smooth.
2. Strain it: (Optional) Pass the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth if you want a cleaner, icy texture.
3. Freeze it: Pour the liquid into a shallow dish or metal tray. Place in the freezer.
4. Scrape it: Every 30 minutes, use a fork to scrape and fluff up the ice crystals. Repeat 3–4 times until you get a fluffy granita texture.

It’s icy, herbal, citrusy, and contrasts beautifully with sweet ingredients of other dishes.