Lemongrass Granita

This was made at a dinner we attended at Cooking with Class. The recipe is also available in their most requested recipes book. I have made this with a variety of flavors and juices and in the heat of summer, it is so refreshing, reminds me of a snow cone!
4 cups of water
6 stalks of lemongrass, chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons vodka

In a small pot combine the lemongrass, ginger, sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat, cover and cool. Strain liquid into measuring cup and stir in vodka,
Pour into wide metal baking pan, cover and freeze until almost solid, about 1-2 hours.
Use a fork to rake into granules, repeat every 30 minutes or so until it is completely broken down. Re rake before serving.
Note: the vodka is used to prevent the granita from freezing solid.

Salmon with Lentils and Foie Gras

I recently took a cooking class in the Montmartre district of Paris. It was called a Market Class, where the chef took us for a tour of the area street markets and explained the various local produce, cheese, meats etc. The smells, the variety, the freshness were a treat to the senses. After a couple of hours Chef Alex purchased what looked good to us and we went back to the school to cook. We decided that one of the dishes would be fresh salmon, with the addition of the lentils, foie gras, and topped with fennel, the flavors were delightful! Here is the recipe.

4 pieces of salmon, each 4 ounces
2 cups green lentils
1 onion
1 carrot
1 fennel bulb
1 lemon
1/4 pound cooked or raw foie gras
olive oil
5 cups of water
salt and pepper

Peel and small dice the onion. Peel and small dice the carrot.
In a large pot, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and sweat the onions and carrot with no color.
After about 10 minutes and the vegetables are soft, add lentils and cover with water, pinch of salt and a crack of fresh ground pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the moisture is gone (about 20-30 minutes). Leave a bit of moisture in the bottom of the lentils, then add the chopped foie gras. Cook until the foie gras is dissolved. Adjust for seasoning.
Heat a saute pan on high, season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil and sear the salmon on both sides.
Slice the fennel very thin and mix with the juice of a lemon and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the lentils on the bottom of a plate, place the salmon on top and garnish with the fennel salad.