Summer vibes with watermelon

This post is also available in: Nederlands (Dutch)

Watermelon!

I absolutely adore this summer fruit. It is sweet, refreshing and low in calories (40 per cup) so no guilty feelings……  Watermelon is very hydrating because it consists of 92% water. It also contains essential nutrients, including the vitamins A/B1/B5/B6/C, minerals like potassium, magnesium and antioxidants. So, happily, no health reason not to enjoy this delicious fruit. Yeah, I know…… it’s got a lot of seeds but don’t be put off, it takes just 10 minutes to clean a whole watermelon.  You will be amazed at the delicious recipes you can make with just one watermelon…..

In my memory the first time I saw watermelon I was in Italy. As a little girl (yes, that was a while ago!😉) I visited Venice with my parents and there they sold slices of refreshing watermelon on almost every street corner.  Don’t ask me why but at the time I thought that was totally awesome, I still do and so began my watermelon love affair!

I would like to share a few of my favourite watermelon recipes with you. They are all straightforward but amazingly different and very refreshing.

Let’s start with a watermelon salad, ideal for a warm summer day and a BBQ.

Watermelon and Feta salad

Ingredients for the vinaigrette:

• 2 tbs honey
• 2 tbs fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• pinch of salt

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt and set aside.

Ingredients for the salad:

• 1/2 a watermelon cut into cubes, seeds removed
• 10 fresh mint leaves chopped
• 200gr feta cheese crumbled or in small cubes
• 4 slices bacon, fried until crispy and cut in little pieces
• Pine nuts (browned in a dry frying pan) to garnish

Combine the watermelon, mint, bacon and pine nuts in a big bowl. Add the honey vinaigrette and toss gently. Top with the feta cheese and serve immediately. If you like you could also vary the ingredients, try cucumber or arugula and leave the bacon out.

 

Watermelon syrup

 

Watermelon syrup

Homemade watermelon syrup only takes two ingredients and just a little bit of patience.  Slowly reduced, it becomes a thick, almost caramel-like sauce, perfect for drizzling over ice cream, pancakes and fruit salads or mixing into drinks.

With this syrup, you quickly give almost every dish or drink a touch of summer.

Ingredients :

• 1/2 large watermelon
• 1 cup brown sugar

Preparation :

1. Remove the rind from the watermelon, cut the flesh in cubes and remove excess seeds, blend the flesh in a blender.
2. Remove the pulp from the juice either with a strainer or by letting it settle. Pour off the juice with a spoon holding back the pulp.
3. Add the juice (approx 2 – 3 cups) to 1 cup of brown sugar in a saucepan and heat at medium-high until you get a rolling simmer. You need to continue to cook for at least 45 minutes, up to an hour. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will get. Be sure to keep an eye on it, stirring occasionally. Please note, if it gets too hot it will boil over.
4. After it is reduced by half, transfer the syrup to a heat-safe container and allow to cool at least 30 minutes then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour. The colour of my syrup is darker because I used brown cane sugar. I prefer not to use refined sugar but you can use the same quantities for refined sugar.

Serve on top of your favourite ice cream or in cocktails or other summer drinks.

Watermelon Gin & Tonic

Most of you have probably already noticed that I am a real Gin & Tonic fan. This summer version with watermelon is one of the favourites!

Ingredients:

• Fresh lime and lemon
• 50ml Gin
• 30ml Watermelon syrup
• 150 ml Tonic water
• Ice cubes

Preparation :

Put a few good squeezes of lime juice into your glass then add a few fresh slices of the lime and lemon to your glass. Fill your glass with plenty of ice cubes (the more ice you put in, the colder your drink will be and the longer it will take to melt and dilute the gin, so more is better!).

Add the watermelon syrup, gin and tonic water. Stir for a minute to help the watermelon flavour infuse and to chill the drink. Garnish with more lime or lemon slices, and a sprig of mint, if desired.

Watermelon ice cream/granita

This ice cream is not only super easy to make but only consists of 5 ingredients.  It is simple and no ice cream maker required. Just stick the watermelon, strawberries, raspberries and lemon juice in a food processor until pureed and whisk the honey in. Pour into a container and stick it in the freezer. That´s all!! How simple is that?

Ingredients :

• Half a watermelon (seeds removed and cut in small cubes)
• 6 strawberries
• 15 raspberries 
• Lime juice
• 3 tbs Honey

Place watermelon, strawberries, raspberries and lime juice in a food processor and pulse until smooth. You may need to do this in two batches if you have a small food processor. Process less if you want to have chunks of watermelon in your sorbet. Stir in the honey.

Pour watermelon into a container and put in the freezer for a few hours until the mixture is frozen. Take out dish 10/15 minutes before serving. Scoop out chunks of sorbet, place in the food processor, and pulse until you reach desired consistency.

I hope you love these wonderful recipes as much as I do.  Enjoy the summer and life!

This post is also available in: Nederlands (Dutch)