August 2016

When life gives you water lemons, make water lemonade!

But seriously — who doesn’t love watermelon? Biting into a juicy watermelon is one of the inimitable experiences of summer. We’re here to help you make the most of the season’s best melons, and eliminate waste at the same time.

For those who do prefer the delectable flavor of watermelon for quenching summer thirst, we offer this incredible drinkable recipe. It’s good for every member of the family!

Fresh Watermelon & Cucumber Juice with Mint

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of fresh watermelon juice (about 6 cups diced fruit)
• 3/4 cup fresh cucumber juice (about 1 large cucumber)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh mint juice (about 15 mint leaves with stems)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (converted to simple syrup)

Find this summer recipe and more over at Serious Eats. 

The Savory Option

Chances are, your watermelon-eating opportunities are mostly relegated to enjoying the sweet, natural flavor of the unadorned fruit. Compared with all the salty, sugary, and greasy indulgences of summer, it’s an incredibly low-guilt pleasure. By adding just a few ingredients, however, you can transform your childhood favorite into a sophisticated and savory side dish. You can’t go wrong with the complementary flavors of cucumber, feta, and mint. So take our drink suggestion, keep your melon solid, and enjoy it as a salad.

Savory Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 seedless watermelon, cubed
• 3 baby cucumbers, seeded & cubed
• 1 cup crumbled feta
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, sliced thinly
  

Directions:

1. Mix red onion & lime juice in a bowl. set side to marinate at least 10 minutes.
2. Stir olive oil into mixture.
   Toss watermelon, baby cucumbers, and feta cheese together in a large bowl.
3. Pour the red onion mixture over the watermelon mixture and toss to coat.
4. Sprinkle mint over the salad; toss.
   

Recipe first printed at AllRecipes.com.

Alternatives to the Landfill

Does putting salt on watermelon ruin it or take it to another level? Opinions are split when it comes to the juicy red flesh, but both sides should be able to agree on this one. In order to make the significant, decidedly less-than-delicious rind palatable, some alchemy is in order. If you’ve been hefting trash bags loaded with green rinds to the curb, we’ve got a delicious surprise for you. A little at-home processing can make watermelon rinds into delicacies of their own in the form of chutney, curry, candy, or even gazpacho. To add a little autumn spice to your bloody mary bar, we suggest this super-simple recipe for Watermelon Rind Pickles.

Pickled Watermelon Rinds

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds watermelon
• 8 cups water
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
• 8 whole cloves
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon pickling spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

1. Quarter the watermelon and cut the pulp from the rind, leaving a thin layer of pink.
2. Cut green outer skin from rind and discard.
3. Cut 4 cups of rind into 1 x 1/2-inch pieces.
4. Combine 8 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt in large pot; bring to boil.
5. Add rind pieces and boil until tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Strain and transfer rinds to large metal bowl.
7. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons salt, sugar and next 7 ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
8. Pour mixture over watermelon rinds in bowl.
9. Place a plate atop rinds to keep them submerged. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
10. Strain liquid from rinds into saucepan; bring to boil.
11. Pour liquid over rinds. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
12. Repeat straining and boiling of liquid and pour over rinds 1 more time.
13. Chill in covered jars.

More on this recipe can be found over at Daily Burn, where it was originally published.