Posts Tagged ‘Watermelon’

Watermelon Fresca Mojito

Posted on: July 11th, 2015 by Carla Johnson No Comments

“Many wagon-loads of enormous water-melons were brought to market every day, and I was sure to see groups of men, women, and children seated on the pavement round the spot where they were sold, sucking in prodigious quantities of this water fruit.  Their manner of devouring them is extremely unpleasant; the huge fruit is cut into half a dozen sections, of about a foot long, and then, dripping as it is with water, applied to the mouth, from either side of which pour copious streams of the fluid, while, ever and anon, a mouthful of the hard black seeds are shot out in all directions, to the great annoyance of all within reach.  When I first tasted this fruit I thought it very vile stuff indeed, but before the end of the season we all learned to like it.  When taken with claret and sugar it makes a delicious wine and water.” ~ Frances Trollope (1780-1865) ‘Domestic Manners of the Americans’ (1832)

The last several years have seen the virtual disappearance of the watermelon with seeds and I am going to stand up and declare I miss them. I enjoyed spitting the black little slippery things out on the lawn at picnics. It was fun competing in  target practise with my friends. It is an art, you know, to propel a seed with accuracy and speed. And it is a celebrated skill that kids these days are missing out on.

And while I am sounding like an old has-been, I am going to declare that seeded watermelon tasted better. Mind you, I have not been able to compare and have no proof, but I am certain that seedless watermelon is blander and drier. It is less colourful and less flavourful. Or maybe I’m just wishing for the “good ol’ days” when the grass was greener and the watermelon sweeter. And I am wishing I could teach my daughter how to spit a watermelon seed without it dripping down her chin like mine always did. :)

This fun video below, on how to make a watermelon keg, popped up on social media recently and I love it. But I also knew we could do better than just serve plain watermelon aqua fresca from it. A little bit of “sin” makes it a lot better.

Carla Johnson author Cooking With Sin

Watermelon Fresca Mojito

  • 3 cups seedless watermelon
  • 1  fresh lime, cut into sections
  • ¼ cup rum
  • Sugar, to taste
  • Fresh mint
  • Club soda (optional)

1. Mix the watermelon in a blender until smooth.

2. Muddle the lime, rum, sugar and mint in a pitcher.

3. Stir watermelon into the muddled mix in the pitcher. Serve individual glasses and top each with club soda. Garnish with a slice of watermelon or mint sprig.

“The nature of watermelons is generally rather chilling and contains a great deal of moisture... Their cleansing action you can discover for yourself; just rub them on dirty skin. Watermelons will remove the following: freckles, facial moles, or epidemic leprosy, if anyone should have these conditions.”
Galen (129-216 A.D.), Marcus Aurelius’s personal physician

Watermelon Fresca Mojito Cooking With Sin 2

Carla Johnson Cooking With Sin

Carla Johnson Cooking With Sin


 

“Stuck on Reduction” Grilled Watermelon Salad with Madeira Caramel

Posted on: July 18th, 2010 by Carla Johnson 1 Comment

Carla Johnson author cooking With SinFive years before the Boston Tea Party, there was another party, the “Madeira Wine Party.” A ship smuggling Madeira wine for John Hancock was seized by the British – the same John Hancock who eventually signed the Declaration of Independence. A fight broke out. Hancock won and received his beloved, smuggled Madeira.

“He at first refus’d us peremptorily; but at dinner with his council, where there was great drinking of Madeira wine, as the custom of that place then was, he softened by degrees, and said he would lend us six. After a few more bumpers he advanc’d to ten; and at length he very good-naturedly conceded eighteen.” ~ Ben Franklin, 1744, asking Governor Clinton of NY for more cannon power in Boston.

Photo credit of Chef Tim Wasylko

What gravy is to English cuisine, demi-glace is to French cuisine. French cuisine has a few select “Mother Sauces” that are the bases of all other sauces – Bechamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Tomato & Hollandaise. If you’ve seen the movie “The Hundred Foot Journey,” you know how beautiful the Mother Sauces look and taste.

Espagnole is the Mother Sauce for demi-glace. Demi-glace is basically beef stock reduced. The industry standard is 50% beef stock 50% sauce espagnol reduced by ½.

When Chef Tim Wasylko was in culinary school, the demi-glace classes piqued his interest. He was enthralled by what happens when liquids are reduced. As liquids evapourate, the flavours become concentrated, so he began experimenting by reducing all the liquids he encountered. He made adult snow cones from a reduction of blueberry juice and Cabernet wine. Then he made a port-wine caramel to put on ice cream.

Tim says,

“Madeira port – a fortified sweet booze like that reduces down to a wonderful caramel. Awesome on ice cream or banana tempura split. Go get a bottle of Madeira and reduce it down to a caramel. It’s life changing.”

Carla Johnson author Cooking With Sin

 

“Stuck on Reduction” Grilled Watermelon Salad with Madeira Caramel

Serves 4
 
½ medium sized seedless Watermelon
1 bunch mint
1 bunch basil
1 lime
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon good quality olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
12 pieces of asparagus, blanched and peeled
200g goat cheese.
1 bottle of Madeira

 

  1. Pour bottle of Madeira in a large pot and place over moderate heat, bring to a boil – allow to boil hard for approximately 20 minutes or until it has reduced down to slightly less than a 1/4 cup. It should coat the back of a spoon and be nice and thick. Let it cool. Once cool, pour into a plastic squeeze bottle.
  2. Cut watermelon innto 4 square shapes approximately 5 cm by 3 cm thick. Season with salt and pepper, a squeeze of lime, and chopped basil. Toss and let rest one hour. Reserve the marinade. Place the watermelon pieces on a high BBQ grill for 1 minute per side. Allow to cool.
  3. Blanch the asparagus and cut in 7 cm long pieces. They should all be the same size.
  4. Shape goats cheese in rounds or rolls 2-3 cm in diameter. Cut into medallions.
  5. Assemble: Toss the asparagus in the marinade from the watermelon. Put 6 pieces of asparagus tight together – and perfectly lined up – down the centre of a plate. Then place the grilled watermelon on top of the asparagus in the opposite direction. Place 2 slices of goats cheese on top and make a zig zag design of the Madeira caramel in the squeeze bottle over top.

  

 
 

Looking for more salad recipes? Try “Pork Ninjas” Salad Dressing

 

Carla Johnson Cooking With Sin

Carla Johnson Cooking With Sin