Mojito Granita

2½ cups water

�� ½ï¿½ï¿½ cup sugar

Zest of 2���������� limes

� 1�� cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves

�� ½ï¿½ï¿½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 6 limes)

� 3�� tablespoons white or light rum

Add the water and sugar to a small, nonreactive saucepan, then grate the zest from the 2 limes directly into the sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Reserve 5 of the mint leaves, add the remaining mint to the pan, and remove from the heat. Cover and let stand 8 minutes, then remove the cover and let cool to room temperature.

Once cool, strain the mixture into the container you plan to freeze the granita in, pressing firmly on the leaves to extract all the flavorful liquid. Discard the mint leaves. Stir in the lime juice and rum, then finely chop the reserved mint leaves and add them as well.

Place dish in the freezer and after 1 hour, break up the frozen parts near the edges into smaller chunks, raking them toward the center. Return dish to freezer then check the mixture every 30 minutes afterward, stirring each time and breaking up any large chunks unto small pieces with a fork until you have beautiful, fine crystals.

Serves four.

Nutrition values per serving: 102 calories, .1 g fat (0 saturated), 23 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein, 0 cholesterol, 5 mg sodium.

"The Perfect Scoop" by David Lebovitz (2007 Ten Speed Press, $24.95)