Warm Weather Favorites: Watermelon!
By Brenda Hyde
Watermelon is a family favorite at our house. We don't often
put it in recipes because it disappears so quickly, but
the following are wonderful for the summer if you can manage
to hide some of it! After slicing and eating from the melon
itself, cube the remainder, removing seeds as you go and store
it in a covered plastic container in the refrigerator. I would
use it within two days to make sure it's still fresh. The first
recipe uses an entire medium watermelon, so buy two!
Watermelon Slush
Ingredients:
1 medium watermelon (about 12 pounds)
3/4 cup lime or lemon Juice
3/4 cup sugar
Cut the watermelon into 2-inch wedges. Remove and
discard the rind, black seeds, and as many of the softer
white seeds as possible. Cut into 1-inch chunks and
place them in the bowl of a food processor or blender.
Process until pureed although some small chunks may
remain. Add the lemon or lime juice and sugar, and blend
until just mixed Transfer the mixture to a stainless steel
bowl, cover, and freeze until solid, for 8 to 10 hours.
About 4 hours before serving, move the bowl to the
refrigerator to soften. In the last hour before serving, use
a fork to break the softened mixture into shavings. Serve
the slush in pretty glasses or bowls. Garnish with a fresh
sprig of mint if available.
Watermelon-Honeydew Kebobs With Dressing
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Kabobs:
2 3-pound honeydew melons, halved, seeded
1 small seedless watermelon, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
24 6-inch bamboo skewers
Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil.
Using large melon baller, scoop out 72 balls of honeydew. Using 1
1/4-inch round fluted cookie cutter, cut out 48 rounds from watermelon
slices. Alternate 3 honeydew balls and 2 watermelon rounds on each
skewer. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kebobs
separately; chill.) Serve kebobs with dressing. Note: You could also
use part of a large melon. If it's not the seedless variety, simply
remove the seeds carefully.
Five Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup blueberries
1 cup watermelon
1 banana, peeled and sliced
1 peach, pitted and cubed
Pour juice over fruit and refrigerate until cold-overnight is
best.Serve in pretty wine goblets or glass bowls. Serves
4.
Watermelon Sorbet
Ingredients:
6 cups watermelon, seeded and diced
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup water
Combine water, sugar and juices in a saucepan and cook
over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Place watermelon
in food processor or blender and process until smooth. Strain
watermelon so you end up with about 4 cups of the juice. Add
to sugar mixture and mix well. Pour into ice trays and freeze.
When mixture is frozen return to the food processor just enough
to make it smooth you may need to add a tablespoon of water.
Place in a bowl and refreeze for several hours before serving.
This is wonderful for a nice summer luncheon!
Spicy Cucumber-Watermelon Relish
Ingredients:
2 unpeeled cucumbers, washed, halved, and thinly sliced
1 cup watermelon chunks the size of playing dice, seeded
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
salt and freshly cracked white pepper to taste
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together well.
This relish will keep, covered and refrigerated, 4 to 5
days. Makes about 4 cups.
Watermelon Pie
Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 ounces frozen whipped topping
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cups watermelon balls
1 9-inch graham cracker crust
Fold together milk and topping. Add lime juice.
Fold in watermelon balls, reserving about 5 balls
for garnish. Pour into graham cracker crust. Place
remaining watermelon balls on pie to garnish. Chill
at least 2 hours before serving.
Watermelon Apple Mint Ice
Ingredients:
10 cups ripe sweet watermelon meat, chopped, seeds removed
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1/4 cup lime juice (2 limes)
1/2 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
In a blender process watermelon until smooth-working in
batches. In 13X9-inch baking pan or freezer-proof container
mix watermelon puree with apple juice, lime juice and the
chopped mint. Cover and freeze 4 hours or until center is
almost frozen. Break up, and blend in batches again until
smooth yet still icy. Return to pan; freeze 2 hours more.
Serve in dessert dishes; garnished with mint leaves.
Makes 12 servings
More Summer Fruit Features
Watermelon Cookies!
Selecting Summer Fruit
Fresh Cherry Recipes
