Enjoy watermelon throughout the summer

Watermelon is an undeniable taste of summer. Sweet and juicy, it is a refreshing treat and a delightful accompaniment to grilled foods like brats and burgers.

But watermelon can be much more. Toss it in salads and smoothies for a tasty snack, or use it as a dessert. Top lemon yogurt with watermelon cubes, grill a few slices to caramelize the natural sugars or blend watermelon and sugar for a homemade sorbet.

Watermelon makes a delicious salsa, and is a cool addition to salads, vinaigrettes and sauces.

Make watermelon juice by pureeing it in a blender or food processor, then pressing it through a sieve to remove the solids. Serve the juice cold or freeze it into cubes to add to beverages or water.

If you’ve been out sweating in the sun, eating watermelon is a good way to make sure you remain hydrated, since watermelon is about 92% water.

But there’s more to watermelon than just water. Two cups of watermelon chunks contain 25% of the daily requirement of vitamin A and 30% of vitamin C. It also contains B6, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.

It’s also a good source of lycopene, containing more of it than tomatoes. Watermelon also is low or free of cholesterol, fat and sodium.

Watermelons, cousins to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash, are the most-consumed melon in the U.S., followed by cantaloupe and honeydew, according to the National Watermelon Promotion Board.

When picking a watermelon, look for a firm, symmetrical melon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents. It should be heavy for its size, and the underside should have a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.

The FDA recommends washing watermelons in clean, running water before cutting them.

Following are a few recipes featuring watermelon from www.watermelon.org.

 

Watermelon Margarita Mocktail

2 cups cubed watermelon, plus wedges for garnish

1 ounce agave

1 ounce lime juice, plus wedges for garnish

1 tablespoon Himalayan pink sea salt or kosher salt

Place salt on a small plate. Run lime wedge around outer rim of rocks glass and dip into salt to coat. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Combine cubed watermelon, lime juice and agave in cocktail shaker and muddle thoroughly.

Fill glass halfway with ice. Double strain watermelon mixture using a fine mesh strainer, and pour into prepared glass. Garnish with lime and watermelon wedges. Serve.

For a cocktail version, add two ounces tequila after muddling mixture. Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice, shake for 15 seconds, until well chilled, and pour into glass.

 

 

Watermelon Rind Basil Lime Relish

For pickled rind:

2 cups peeled watermelon rind with thin layer of pink flesh attached diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon pickling salt

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

8 coriander seeds

8 peppercorns

4 allspice berries

4 coins fresh ginger root

3 whole cloves

For relish:

1/2 cup diced watermelon

Pickled watermelon rinds

1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves

To make rinds, bring four cups water and pickling salt to a boil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add watermelon rind and cook four to six minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Using slotted spoon, transfer watermelon rind to eight-cup resealable container.

Add sugar, vinegar, coriander seeds, peppercorns, allspice berries, ginger and cloves to pickling liquid in saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil three to four minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until slightly reduced.

Discard solids from syrup, then pour syrup over watermelon rinds. Cover, keeping rinds submerged in liquid, then let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate at least one day and as long as two weeks.

To make relish, whisk lime zest, lime juice, oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Add watermelon rinds, discarding syrup, as well as onion, red pepper and watermelon flesh. Toss to combine. Stir in basil and mint. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes, until flavors are married.

 

 

Watermelon Bourbon Glaze With Grilled Flank Steak

1-1/2 cups watermelon juice (approximately 2-1/2 cups chopped watermelon blended)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 to 1/2 cup bourbon

2 pounds flank steak or London broil

1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Place watermelon juice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to 2/3 cup. Toward the end of the time, add garlic. Remove from heat, cool 10 minutes, then add soy sauce, sugar, hot sauce and bourbon. Mix well.

Place watermelon-bourbon glaze mixture in a large zipper-lock bag. Add steak and massage to cover the meat. Close bag and refrigerate for one to four hours.

Heat grill on high. Remove steak from plastic bag and gently shake to remove excess glaze.

Place steak on grill and cook for four to six minutes, turn, grill an additional four to six minutes. Remove from heat. Steak should be pink in the center. Allow steak to rest on a platter or cutting board for 10 minutes.

While steak is grilling, remove a small amount of glaze and mix with cornstarch. Add to the rest of glaze and heat to medium high to high in a small saucepan and simmer three to five minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.

Cut flank steak on the bias into thin strips. Drizzle watermelon-bourbon glaze over the top.

 

 

Roasted Salmon With Watermelon Salsa

1 pound salmon, cut into 4 filets

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 limes

2 cups finely diced watermelon

1 cup finely diced cucumber

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

Pepper

Place salmon filets on a foil-lined baking sheet, rub evenly with the coriander and chili powder, then juice one of the limes over the filets and season with salt and pepper.

Roast salmon in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

For the salsa, combine the juice of remaining lime, watermelon, cucumber, red onion, mint and cilantro in a medium bowl. Stir to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Top roasted salmon generously with watermelon salsa and serve on a bed of quinoa, brown rice, potatoes or other carbohydrate.

 

 

Watermelon Chicken With Balsamic Glaze

For chicken:

2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

1/2 teaspoon salt

Juice of 1 lime

For glaze:

2 cups diced seedless watermelon

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine chicken, olive oil, lime juice, red pepper flakes, cumin and salt in a bowl or zipper-lock bag. Massage to coat the chicken. Allow to marinate as long as one hour.

Combine glaze ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and simmer five to seven minutes, until thickened to the consistency of maple syrup or melted honey.

Place chicken on a medium-high-heat grill. Cover and cook five to seven  minutes.

Flip chicken and brush generously with the glaze. Cover and cook two to three minutes. Brush with more glaze, then continue cooking two to three minutes, until chicken is fully cooked and reaches 165 degrees.

Remove chicken from the grill and let sit five minutes before serving. Brush with additional glaze or serve extra on the side for dipping.

 

 

Watermelon Benedict

4 3-inch circles of 3/4-inch-thick seedless watermelon

1-1/2 cups granola

1/3 cup honey

4 slices peeled kiwi fruit, 1/2-inch thick

1 cup yogurt

2 to 3 grapes, sliced plums and mint for garnish, optional

Mix granola with honey by drizzling the honey evenly over the granola as you stir.

On a serving plate, divide granola into three-inch circles of even thickness. Top each of the granola circles with a watermelon slice. Spoon yogurt over watermelon.

Place a slice of kiwi on each watermelon circle and garnish with grapes, sliced plums and/or mint, if desired.

 

 

Watermelon and Whipped Feta With Honey and Pistachio

1 watermelon

10-1/2 ounces feta cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup water, as needed for whipped texture

Drizzle honey, to taste

1 cup pistachios, chopped

Thyme or other herbs, for garnish, optional

In a food processor, blend feta cheese and olive oil until creamy. If cheese is too thick, add more olive oil, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. You can also whip feta with heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

Cut watermelon into triangle pieces and spread whipped feta on top. Drizzle with honey, chopped pistachios and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

 

 

Chili-Lime Watermelon Popsicles

6 cups cubed watermelon

2 tablespoons honey

1 lime, juiced and zested

3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

Combine watermelon, honey and lime juice in blender and blend one minute, until smooth.

Divided watermelon mixture evenly between cups of a 10-slot popsicle mold, filling each three-quarters full. Insert popsicle sticks and cover with lid. Freeze at least four hours, until solid.

Combine kosher salt, remaining lime zest and chili powder in small bowl. Unmold popsicles and sprinkle with chili mixture. Serve.

 

 

Watermelon Fire and Ice Salsa

3 cups chopped watermelon

1/2 cup green peppers

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon green onions

2 tablespoons jalapeno peppers

Combine ingredients. Mix well and cover. Refrigerate one hour or more before serving.

 

 

Watermelon Prosciutto Skewers

1/2 watermelon, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 8-ounce package sliced prosciutto

1 cup large basil leaves

Balsamic glaze, for serving

Thread eight skewers with watermelon, prosciutto and basil, alternating ingredients evenly. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.