Oysters With Chile, Lime and Mint Granita

evelyn/athens's Note:

One of two Runner-Up recipes for 1999 in the San Francisco Chronicle. The recipe comes from Le Colonial restaurant in San Francisco. This granita, with its fiery chile, tart lime, pungent mint and fish sauce, gives a decidedly Southeast Asian flavor to the oysters. A spoon of the intensely flavored ice not only keeps the oysters chilled, but as it melts, it creates a delicious sauce that pools in the shells. The granita is best when made the day before serving.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 35 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 cups water
• 2 mint sprigs
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup asian fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce (sambal olek)
• 24 oysters , shucked and arranged on a bed of crushed ice

Directions:

1. Bring the water to a boil in a small pot and add the mint. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid reduces by half. Remove from heat and add the lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Discard the mint sprigs. Add the chile-garlic sauce and mix well.
2. Transfer the mixture to a stainless-steel or glass pan and place in the freezer. Whisk the mixture every 10 to 20 minutes and continue to freeze until the mixture is consistency of shaved ice, about 2 hours. Break up crystals and whisk before serving.
3. Top each oyster with a tablespoon of the granita and serve immediately.