Martin and Kenneth have been bringing me gifts of fruit since they arrived on Wednesday.  First it was this unidentified smiley melon (all it says on the sticker is “orange flesh,” so I suspect it’s some sort of cantaloupe):Thursday was a pair of mangoes that were quickly chopped up into a salsa, and yesterday Martin texted me “left a pineapple in your kitchen.”  They sure did!As I was sifting through various ideas on Tastespotting, I stumbled upon a Pineapple-Basil Granita, which was a snap to make.
(the granita was not completely frozen and was rapidly melting in this heat, hence the extra slushy appearance.)

Pineapple-Basil Granita (via cookworm)I doubled this recipe!18 ounces (about 1/2 large) roughly chopped pineapple (weigh after trimming and cutting, not before) juice from half a lemon3-4 large basil leaves, finely chopped 1/4 cup water2 tablespoons sugarPlace pineapple in a food processor and purée until smooth (a few errant chunks are okay). Transfer to a bowl. Place sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for about 5 minutes or until slightly reduced.Stir sugar syrup, lemon juice, and chopped basil into puréed pineapple, then pour into a flat 9″ square or round dish. Freeze, stirring and breaking up large pieces with a fork every 20 minutes or so, until granita reaches the desired consistency (about 1 – 1 1/2 hours). Spoon into serving cups. Makes about 4 servings.Brooke and I are walking into the city to hop on the ferry to Governors Island, so this will be something cold to take on our stroll.  Yeasayer are playing for free as part of their summer concert series, so a bunch of us are headed over for the evening. Summer!