Juicy and colourful, the versatile watermelon is an ideal ingredient for salads or desserts.
Juicy and colourful, the versatile watermelon is an ideal ingredient for salads or desserts.
Given the hot, humid weather, I’ve been revelling in the juicy watermelons from nearby farm stands. As I’ve been looking after my two-year-old grandson, they have been particularly useful. I either slice each into small wedges, which he nibbles down to the white rind, or cut it into bite-sized chunks. As the juice seems to run everywhere, we put a large bib on him, but even then the clean-up involves washing his face, hands, arms and even knees. That watermelon is also satisfying the thirst of his rather tired nana.
Teddy has also discovered how to open the vege drawer in the refrigerator, so I’ve been hiding his other favourite fruits, blueberries and raspberries, to put on his breakfast cereal. He will be returning to his parents with expensive tastes.
Apart from being a cooling snack that’s perfect for all ages, watermelon is a versatile fruit that can be used in salads, hors d’oeuvres and desserts. The colour adds interest and the crunch texture.
When choosing a watermelon, first weigh it in your hands, then tap it to see if it sounds a little hollow. The heavier the fruit, the juicier it will be, and a hollow sound indicates it is ripe. If buying a piece of cut watermelon, choose one with dark-pink flesh, as that is the most flavoursome. The seeds turn black when ripe, so watermelons with white seeds are not fully ripe. Cover a cut watermelon with plastic wrap, so that its smell doesn’t taint other food in the fridge.
When entertaining, use a watermelon as the centrepiece for a summery dessert. I remember my mother buying a huge watermelon to use as a fruit bowl. She scooped out the flesh, then cut most of it into small cubes, discarding obvious black seeds. She then mixed the cubes with other chopped summer fruits to make a fresh salad to serve in the scooped-out watermelon. See page 42 for drink suggestions and more dessert ideas.
Cold watermelon cubes make a pretty, tasty addition to summer salads. One classic combination uses feta cheese and mint. The saltiness of the cheese goes well with the sweet melon, and the mint emphasises the freshness. Watermelon is also one of the easiest snacks to serve with drinks, as it goes well with any smoked food, such as chicken or salmon, salty salami, parma ham or prosciutto. It also partners well with prawns, crab, crayfish and tinned tuna or sardines, as in this salad.
WATERMELON, TOMATOES, FETA CHEESE, SARDINES WITH FRESH PEPPERY ROCKET
½ small ripe watermelon
12-16 cherry tomatoes, red and yellow 2
105g tins sardines, drained
2 cups wild rocket
100g creamy feta cheese (I recommend Zany Zeus)
DRESSING
1 lemon, juice and rind
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt grind of fresh black pepper
Remove the watermelon rind, then cut the flesh into 2-3cm cubes. Discard any obvious seeds, although they are edible.
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Drain the sardines, discarding the oil unless you want to use it in the dressing instead of the olive oil, although it may be too strong for some people.
Wash and dry the rocket, removing any long stalks.
Arrange the watermelon cubes, tomato halves and rocket on a platter. Top with the sardines. Break the feta into small nuggets, then scatter over the salad.
To make the dressing, shake the ingredients together in a small screw-top jar. Taste, then adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remember, though, that sardines and feta are fairly salty. Drizzle over the dressing. Serves 4.
Wine match: riesling.
SMOKED SALMON, WATERMELON AND BOCCONCINI BITES
2 cups watermelon cubes, cut into 3cm 250g cold smoked salmon slices
150g fresh buffalo bocconcini
½ cup fresh mint leaves