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Papaya-Lime Sorbet

Cutting up a papaya can be a rather messy affair, with the dark, slippery seeds spilling all over the place. I always eat a few of them, which I call the caviar of the fruit world. Try a few; you’ll find they’re quite spicy and peppery. If possible, choose a brilliant orange variety of papaya. I find Latin American markets usually have the widest selection, with the best coming from Central America or Hawaii. Sometimes you’ll find giant papayas cut into small pieces, which gives you a good chance to check out the color of the flesh beforehand.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 1 quart (1 liter)

Ingredients

2 pounds (1 kg) papayas (about 2 small papayas)
2/3 cup (130 g) sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 3 limes)
Pinch of salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cut the papayas in half and remove the seeds with a spoon. Peel the papayas and cut them into chunks. Put the papaya pieces in a blender along with the sugar, water, lime juice, and salt, and purée the mixture until completely smooth.

    Step 2

    Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

  2. Perfect Pairing

    Step 3

    Add lots of shavings of Lime Granita (page 153) to a dish of Papaya-Lime Sorbet, drizzle with a bit of dark rum, and top with shaved Pineapple Granita (page 153).

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