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Showing posts with label watermelon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label watermelon. Show all posts

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Watermelon rind preserves with ginger, rose and cardamom

While preparing our watermelon salad last weekend I looked at the rind I was removing and remembered reading about watermelon rind preserves.  I think it is an idea from the American South but I might be wrong, I don't think watermelons are native there?*  Anyway, I've never eaten it or seen it in real life but making it seemed like a good idea.  It obviously appeals to my dislike of throwing things away...

Makes approx 2 small jars.

5 cups diced watermelon rind
2.5 cups sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
~7 strips of lemon rind
1 in piece of ginger, cut into thin slices
1-2 tbsp dried rose petals
1 tsp rose water
8 whole green cardamom pods
1 small cinnamon stick

To prepare the rind, cut off the outer green peel and the inner red flesh (if you haven't already eaten the watermelon - I had just saved all the pieces left from eating the flesh - don't worry about removing all the red), then dice the white rind into 0.5-1 cm cubes.  Our watermelon was one of the 'mini' ones, with fairly thick rind (I think the rind is thicker if the watermelon is a bit underripe), and I prepped the rind from 3/4 of the watermelon to make 5 cups.

In a large pan, mix the diced rind with the sugar (use half as many cups of sugar as rind).  Cover and leave overnight in the fridge, or for at least 2 hours, until a lot of liquid has come out of the rind and the rind pieces are effectively sitting in syrup.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and simmer covered for 2 hours.  It will go golden-brown, and the rind pieces will become transparent.  After 2 hours, remove the lid and boil fast for 15 minutes.  Leave it for 10 minutes to cool slightly, then put in sterilised jars while still hot (I didn't bother removing the cardamom pods etc, you could try but it'd be a fiddle getting them out of the burning hot jam, and they look quite pretty - will just need to make sure people are aware of their presence and don't eat them by accident).


This worked really well, I was surprised - I thought it was going to be just an exercise in using stuff I'd usually throw away, and was kind of worried I'd end up with something runny and not very appealing.  When I'd finished boiling it it looked really liquid and I didn't think it was going to set, but it set beautifully.  It reminds me of apple or marrow jam, in that the rind is a fairly bland-tasting, textural background for whatever spices or flavours you may add.  The end result looks really pretty and tastes fairly subtle but pleasantly fragrant.

*OK, I've figured it out: watermelon rind preserving IS a thing in the South, but they make a vinegary pickle, not a jam.
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Monday, June 11, 2012

BBQ food: watermelon salad, marinated tofu, stuffed courgettes

It was at last time to get our little barbeque dirty for the first time this season - A+R came round for a Sunday lunch grill.

I made a big, rocket-based salad, and we grilled some fruits and veggies pretty plainly: corn on the cob, long-sliced courgettes and plantains, fingerling potatoes (some with shredded, freshly-picked sage) in foil packets in the coals (these were excellent), pineapple, chocolate-stuffed bananas in foil in the coals...

I also, partly inspired by grilling at A's on Friday, decided to marinate some tofu and see how that went - I haven't tried barbequeing tofu before, envisaged it falling apart and through the holes into the fire, but it turned out really successful.  I just lobbed a whole load of things I thought would taste good together into the marinade - I feel like all sorts of variations / a simpler version would work well too.

The watermelon salad and stuffed courgettes are classics from my vegetarian days - S came back from Trado's with a big pot of good feta (a key ingredient for both). The stuffed courgettes are one of his specialities, and the watermelon salad is a favourite of his too (he has never really gone vegan, although he's been vegetarian for nearly 30 years).


Marinated Tofu

1 packet extra-firm tofu

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp white vermouth
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp mixed chili and red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Slice the tofu into pieces about 1 cm thick and press as dry as you can manage.  Make sure to use firm tofu as this will help negate any potential breaking up / falling in problems.  Arrange in a single layer in the smallest high-sided dish you can fit them in.  I also put in some mushrooms, stalk removed and gill side up.  Mix up the marinade in a small bowl, pour it evenly over all the tofu pieces and mushrooms, cover and leave for 1-2 hours minimum (will keep like this in the fridge for a day or two).

When ready to grill, just place on the hot bbq grill.  The grill will make pretty charred lines so if you want these to look good think about when and how you move the tofu pieces around.  Done when lightly browned / slightly charred.


Watermelon Salad

1/4 small watermelon
3/4 slab of feta (or ~6 finely chopped, salty black olives as a vegan substitute)
2 sprigs of basil
2 spring onions
olive oil
salt and pepper

Peel the watermelon and slice it thinly, then into bite-sized pieces.  Arrange in a bowl and crumble the feta over the top.  Slice the spring onions very finely and add to the bowl, followed by the torn basil leaves.  Dress with extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper.  This made enough for 4 people to have a bowlful each.


Stuffed Courgettes

2 medium sized courgettes
1 1/2 tbsp pine nuts (or sunflower seeds)
3/4 slab feta (or marinated tofu - I'd simplify the marinade above a little but use a similar method)
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (optional)
olive oil
salt+pepper

Balance each courgette on a flat surface to see where it sits without rolling around.  The cut a window / lid along the length of the top (as you would when making a pumpkin lantern) and hollow out the insides.  Don't worry about getting every last bit out, just make sure there is a good cavity to fill and the sides and lid are still quite robust.

Mix up the remaining ingredients in a bowl along with about half the chopped-up courgette innards.  Then stuff the mixture into the cavity, making sure it is full to bursting before putting the lid back on.  Prepare a piece of tinfoil for each courgette, big enough to wrap it up securely.  Season the inside of the tinfoil with salt and pepper and olive oil, then place each prepared courgette in the middle of a piece of tinfoil and wrap up.

Cook directly in the hot coals - they are done when they give a little when poked (should take about 15 min).
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