Recipe: Rhubarb-Strawberry Ice

Rhubarb-Strawberry Ice
rec.food.cooking/Z Pegasus (1995)
Yield: 12 servings

4 cups cut-up fresh rhubarb or
1 pkg (16 oz.) frozen unsweetened sliced rhubarb, slightly thawed
1 1/4 cups cranberry juice cocktail or unsweetened cherry juice
1 cup sugar
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
champagne or ginger ale (opt)

In a medium saucepan stir together rhubarb, 1/2 cup of the juice, and sugar. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or till rhubarb is tender and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add remaining 3/4 cup juice and berries. Cool to room temperature. In a blender container or food processor bowl cover and blend or process rhubarb mixture, half at a time, till smooth. Transfer the mixture to a 9x9x2-inch nonmetal freezer container. Cover and freeze for 4 to 5 hours or till almost firm. Chill a large bowl in the refrigerator or freezer.

Break frozen mixture into small chunks. In the chilled bowl beat chunks with an electric mixture on medium speed till smooth but not melted. Return mixture to freezer container. Cover; freeze for at least 6 hours or till firm.

To serve, use a small ice cream scoop or melon baller to scrape the surface of ice and shape into balls. Spoon 4 or 5 small scoops of the ice into dessert dishes. If desired, pour champagne or ginger ale around ice; garnish with fresh mint. Serve immediately.

***Instead of freezing the ice in a pan, you can transfer the rhubarb mixture to a 1- to 2-quart ice-cream freezer and freeze as the manufacturer directs.