Gazpacho Sorbet With Apple Aspic

Tomato Soup in an ice cream maker? This innovative twist on gazpacho would be an excellent first course in a tasting menu. The luscious coloured sorbet is served over a bed of diced apple aspic and is drizzled with high quality balsamic vinegar. This recipe is not for beginners or impatient cooks, however most of the work for this dish can be done ahead of time. The sorbet can be made 3 days ahead and stored, covered in the freezer. The aspic can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of service, covered and stored in the refrigerator. From the August 2002 issue of Gourmet magazine.

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the Apple Aspic

• 1  cup  apple juice (clear and unfiltered)
• 1  teaspoon  unflavoured gelatin

• For the Gazpacho Sorbet

• 1  teaspoon  unflavoured gelatin
• 1  tablespoon hot water
• 1  garlic clove
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  lb  ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
• 1⁄2 large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  vidalia onion, coarsely chopped
• 1  piece English cucumber (1 1/2 inch)
• 2  tablespoons sherry wine vinegar (preferably "reserva")
• 1  tablespoon  grappa
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons sugar
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• For Drizzling

• 3  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar (top quality)

• For Garnish

•  mint leaf

Directions

1. Make Aspic: Bring the apple juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin until dissolved. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 2 hours.
2. Make Gazpacho Sorbet: Soften gelatin in hot water for 1 minutes.
3. Mash garic to a paste with the salt, using a mortar and pestle ( or mince and mash with a large knife.) Blend garlic paste tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cucumber, vinegar, grappa and sugar in a food processor until it is as smooth as possible. Add oil and gelatin mixture with motor running.
4. Force the puree through a sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on the solids until all liquid has been forced out. Discard solids.
5. Chill mixture until cold, about 1 hour, then freeze in an icecream maker.
6. Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and put in the freezer to harden.
7. Reduce balsamic vinegar: Boil vinegar in a small nonreative saucepan until syrupy, 1 to 2 minutes, then cool completely.
8. Assemble Dish: Cut aspic into small cubes and divide among 4 plates. Drizzle aspic with balsamic syrup, then top with a scoop ( about 1/4 cup) of the sorbet.
9. Garnish with mint.