Melons taste of summer, and the widest variety and most flavorful are at farmstands and farmers’ markets in peak season.
How to choose melons
Selecting the right melon is part skill and part luck. You might ask for help from the farmer at the farmers’ markets. Otherwise, start by smelling it; if it smells sweet and like a melon, that’s a good start. For watermelons, slap the side and listen for a hollow sound.
How to prepare melons
Cut the melon in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon; continue cutting it into quarters or slices. Use a paring knife to slice off the rind, if you like. A melon baller easily lets you scoop out spheres of melon. Or you can simply cut the flesh into pieces. Grated melon is good in yogurt sauces and raw salsas; just be sure to grate it over a bowl to save the juices.
Watermelons can be cut casually into wedges with seeds. But if you want to seed them, cut into wedges and slice off the top or “heart” to reveal the row of seeds. Remove them with the tines of a fork. Then cut to the desired size.
Allow a chilled melon to come to room temperature before serving; when it’s chilled, the flavors are muted. Try serving with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice—it adds flavor to an underripe melon and complements a ripe one. A sprinkle of salt is an interesting change of pace (as is a dash of ground chile).
Other fruits you can use
Melons are interchangeable with one another; papaya, mango, (sometimes) cucumber
Recipes using melon
Grilled or Broiled Watermelon Steak
Cut watermelon into 2-inch-thick slices; remove seeds. Brush with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Rub with ground dried chiles if you like. Grill or broil until the flesh is lightly caramelized and dried out a bit, about 5 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary; serve with lemon wedges. Omit the rosemary if you used chiles or chili powder.
— Recipe from How to Cook Everything
Tomato-Cantaloupe Gazpacho
Core, peel and seed 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes; cut flesh into 1-inch chunks. Seed 1 3-pound cantaloupe, and remove flesh from rind; cut into chunks. Place a tablespoon of olive oil in each of two 10- or 12-inch skillets and turn heat under both to high. Add melon to one and tomatoes to the other, and cook, stirring, until they become juicy, no longer than 2 minutes. In a blender or food processor, puree melon with tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water and 10 leaves of basil, along with some salt and pepper. Stir in remaining olive oil. Chill, add lemon juice to taste and adjust seasoning. Serve.
— Recipe from The New York Times
Watermelon Salsa
Use 2 cups chopped, seeded watermelon; 1/2 large red onion, chopped; 1 teaspoon chopped garlic; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chile (like jalapeño), or red chile flakes or cayenne, to taste; 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint; 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice; and salt and pepper and follow the recipe above. Serve immediately.
Pickled Watermelon Rind
How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition
Since they must be cured at a cold temperature, technically they qualify as “refrigerator pickles.” This recipe calls for salt, sugar, and vinegar to create that sort of bread-and- butter-style, slightly sweet profile. The pickling spice adds layers of flavors that are warm (hot even, if you add more chiles) and quite delightful.
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