Use this fruit more - combine with sweet or salty ingredients
Let’s look at some watermelon recipes. A wedge of this juicy fruit on a hot summery picnic is a quick and easy way of replenishing fluid and energy levels.
It is rich in B-vitamins, potassium and magnesium and as it is more than 90 per cent water, it is perfect for quenching thirst, just as it is. But what else can we do with it?
Sprinkle wedges with chilli powder and a squeeze of lime
Remove skin, cut into chunks and mix with pieces of preserved ginger in syrup
Remove skin and layer thin slices with smoked meat or chicken and serve with green salad
Make a salad by adding chunks of the fruit to crumbled feta (or a blue) cheese, basil leaves, roasted pumpkin seeds and
olive oil.
Make a salsa with the chopped fruit, red onion, fresh coriander (cilantro), lime juice, fresh chilli and salt to taste.
Serve with prosciutto or Serrano ham and freshly milled black pepper
Blend the skinned flesh and strain the juice. Then mix the juice with a little sugar, lots of white rum and plenty of ice. Garnish the alcoholic cooler with mint leaves and small cubes of the fruit.
Here is a lovely salad recipe using watermelon, chicory, avocado and Feta cheese:
2 chicory, trimmed and leaves separated
500 grams of watermelon
180 grams Feta cheese, crumbled
2 ripe avocadoes, sliced
a small red onion, sliced thinly
juice of a lemon
4 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
a level tablespoon of fresh oregano leaves, chopped
Over a bowl or plate to catch the juice, cut the skin off the watermelon. Then deseed it and cut into chunks. Arrange on top of the chicory leaves in a picnic container and top with the feta and red onion. Brush the avocado slices with lemon juice (to prevent going brown) and add to the salad. Cover and keep cool.
Whisk the watermelon juice, lemon juice, olive oil and oregano leaves, pour into a small lidded container and pour over the salad and mix at the picnic. Do not make this watermelon recipe too far in advance as it is best eaten as soon as possible after preparation.
Watermelons should feel heavy for their size when ripe. To check for ripeness, press the stem end. It should give a little. The fruit should also sound hollow when you tap it.
If you buy part of one (i.e. it is already cut) then remember that the brighter the colour of the flesh, the sweeter it will be. The seeds should be black.
