Honey-Dew and Sake Granita

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• the flesh of a 3-pound honeydew melon plus
• if desired
• 8 thin round slices of honeydew melon for garnish
• 1/4 cup sake
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons pickled ginger slices (available at Asian markets and some supermarkets)
• rinsed
• 1/4 cup plum wine
• 2 drops of red food coloring if desired

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan combine the sugar and 3-1/2 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring.
2. In a blender puree the ginger with the syrup, the wine, and the food coloring, chill the mixture until is cold, and stir it.
3. Transfer the mixture to 2 metal ice-cube trays without the dividers or to a shallow metal pan and freeze it, stirring and crushing the lumps with a fork every 30 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is firm but not frozen solid.
4. The granita may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and frozen.
5. Scrape the granita with a fork to lighten the texture.
6. On each of 4 plates arrange 2 of the honeydew slices and top 1 of the slices on each plate with a scoop of the honeydew and sake granita.
7. Top the other slices with a scoop of the pickled ginger and plum-wine granita.