MENDOCINO WILD HUCKLEBERRY GRANITA

from Executive Chef Alan Kantor, MacCallum House Restaurant
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 pound huckleberries* (fresh or frozen) or enough to yield two cups of juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup syrah
juice of one-half lemon (Meyer, if possible)

Method:

Purée huckleberries in a food processor. Put through a fine strainer, pressing on berries to extract all liquid, to yield two cups.

Place syrah and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to boil.

Mix huckleberry juice, sugar/syrah mixture and lemon juice in a bowl. Pour into a Pyrex or Corning ware wide dish or pie pan and place in freezer. Scrape with a fork every two hours until frozen, approximately 4-6 hours. It will scrape into a snowflake-like mixture.

Store granita in a plastic refrigerator container in the freezer. Granita will store well for approximately two weeks.

To Serve:

Rub a Martini or other decorative glass rim with a wedge of lemon and twirl in a little sugar on a plate. Portion granita into the glasses and garnish with a lemon twist and fresh huckleberries.

*Blackberries may be substituted (you may have to adjust sugar, to taste)
If using frozen berries, defrost first.