Pomegranate Sorbet

Cut pomegranates in half crosswise. Gently lift out seeds, section by section, and place in a saucepan. (You should have about 6 cups of seeds.) Set aside.

Using a vegetable peeler, remove lemon zest in wide strips (be careful to leave the bitter white pith behind), allowing the strips to fall into the saucepan with the pomegranate seeds. Squeeze the lemon and strain the juice into the saucepan. Add sugar and water; bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until the pomegranate seeds turn pale, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on the seeds to extract as much juice as possible. (Discard solids.) Chill until cold. Pour into the canister of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. (Alternatively, freeze in a shallow metal cake pan until solid, about 6 hours. Break into chunks and process in a food processor until smooth.)