Far too much watermelon, not enough me

[Quadlex]

My boyfriend came shopping with me yesturday, and he wanted a Watermelon. So we bought one, and I cut it in half and quartered a piece and he ate the quarter. And now I have 3/4 of a watermelon in my fridge, taking up space, wrapped in plastic, that is *certain* to go off before I use it.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is Watermelon jam worth doing, should I make cordial, pickle it, make sorbet or gelato, freeze it whole, pickle it in boozes, do other wonderful things I'm not even thinking of?

 

[Uncle Bob]

Your boyfriend should be good for another 1/4 .....Maybe give some to a neighbor...A senior citizen..etc.

Have Fun!

 

[JillBurgh]

My first thought was to make a nice granita ice with it. Try adding some fresh lime juice for a nice kick. Otherwise it will be very mellow.

When I cut up fresh watermelon, here's a yummy syrup I like to dress it with:

Make a base of simple syrup using 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Add the zest from 1 lime along with a teaspoon of lime juice and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Drizzle the syrup over your watermelon pieces for a knockout dessert. The cayenne will only add heat not flavor. Think of it in terms of cinnamon red-hots and that's the kind of heat you can expect. I bet the same flavor combo would be nice in a granita.

Oh! And daiquiris are always nice!

 

[Bilby]

Hey someone put up a summercooler recipe using watermelon just the other day! Was it Ask A Butcher?? Have a look in the alcoholic drinks section as it will be a recent thread there. It looked good apart from the schnapps which is a bit too sweet for my taste.

Think there is a recipe somewhere out in the ether where you soak it in vodka but i can't remember what came next - sucking it thru a straw, sticking it in the freezer ?????? Just remember it sounded interesting.

Some of the restaurants around here also are grilling it and serving it with scallops in a salad. Didn't do it for me but it might for you.

 

[SixSix210]

You can (if you drink) get some inexpensive vodka, slice the watermelon into thin strips and fill the bottle with them, pour in the vodka and toss it in the freezer for about a week. YUM! If you have wee ones in the house, you can mash the melon and mix it with about a 1 to 1 water mix and fill an ice cube tray with the slush. VERY tasty in 7-up!

 

[Bilby]

Gees, I wish I had been able to see into your brain earlier today SixSix!! I finished the lasts of my watermelon up for lunch today! I like the sound of watermelon blocks in lemonade!! YUM!!!!!

 

[Constance]

How about a watermelon margarita?

Frozen Watermelon Margaritas Recipe: Recipes: Food Network

 

[*amy*]

One of my faves, during the summer, is watermelon/feta salad.

Chop up watermelon and throw it into a big bowl. Add some cubed feta (or mozzarella). Tear up some fresh mint and stir it into the bowl, along with balsamic vinegar. Add in thinly sliced red onions & sliced black olives.

As an appy, wrap prosciutto around brie & small slices of watermelon. i.e.

Prosciutto Wrapped Watermelon and Brie Fingers

Watermelon lemonade

&...

Watermelon

National Watermelon Promotion Board :: Recipes

 

[JillBurgh]

This past summer I made Watermelon Ceviche with jalapeno and mint. It was a huge hit, even the teenagers loved it. It is not traditionally prepared in this recipe because it calls for lightly poaching the seafood instead of cooking it with the citric acid. I'm sure you could alter this recipe using a traditional ceviche and add the watermelon, etc at the end if you're a real purist.

 

[kitchenelf]

For future reference this Tomato Watermelon Salad is good.

 

[JillBurgh]

For future reference this Tomato Watermelon Salad is good.

That does sound interesting. The recipe says, "Part of the pleasure of this delicately balanced salad is wondering whether the red thing you've speared will turn out to be tart tomato or sweet watermelon." I would make it with yellow and green hierlooms for interest, and to take out the guess work. No surprises for me!

 

[kitchenelf]

That does sound interesting. The recipe says, "Part of the pleasure of this delicately balanced salad is wondering whether the red thing you've speared will turn out to be tart tomato or sweet watermelon." I would make it with yellow and green hierlooms for interest, and to take out the guess work. No surprises for me!

LOL - you have a point! Guessing games can be good but when it comes to taste buds it can be quite shocking!

 

[Bilby]

It was a tasty salad KitchenElf! You sent me that one a while ago. I had to subby on a couple of ingredients from memory but the key components combined well. thanks!

 

[*amy*]

If you still have left over watermelon, a litlte treat is combining pureed watermelon with chocolate chips & pouring into popsickle molds. If your interested in the specifics/details, let me know.