Watermelons are now abundantly available everywhere. They are juicy and sweet, and besides cutting them into refreshing cubes and serving in a bowl, you can do a lot of tasty things with them, and even use their rinds to make pickles.
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Watermelon season begins in June and lasts until August, with its peak in July, right about now. There are many types of watermelons, some containing black seeds and others with few seeds and a soft rind. Watermelons can weigh up to 9 kilograms (nearly 20 pounds), and they're not always just green on the outside and red inside — their flesh can also be pink or yellow.
Here's a recipe for a refreshing watermelon salad that's a great way to combat the hot weather - it includes sweet watermelon and zesty lime with feta cheese.
Ingredients:
- 1 small watermelon or half of a large one
- 4 sprigs of mint
- Juice of one lime
- Zest of one lime
- 200 grams (about 7 ounces) of feta cheese
- Handful of sunflower seeds
Instructions:
- Cut the watermelon into small cubes as in a salad, and place in a mixing bowl.
- Separate the mint leaves from the sprigs, chop finely, and add to the bowl.
- Zest the lime peel, and squeeze the juice.
- Crumble the feta cheese with your hands and scatter it over the salad, sprinkle sunflower seeds on top, and serve immediately.
Pickled watermelon rinds
Before you throw away those watermelon rinds, think again: pickled watermelon rinds are one of the most refreshing summer snacks you'll encounter, and with a little restraint, you can also enjoy this treat into the fall. Plus, it pairs well with almost any dish, and it's also the base for the upcoming tartare recipe.
Ingredients:
- Rinds from half a watermelon, washed well
- 1 hot pepper
- 1 bunch of mint leaves
- 6 cups of filtered water
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- 6 teaspoons salt
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions:
- Prep the watermelon rinds - remove the red flesh from the side and peel the green part using a peeler or mandoline (about half a centimeter thick). It's important that all the rinds are uniform in size.
- Sterilize a jar, arrange the rinds in it, and intermittently add the hot pepper, garlic, and mint leaves.
- Mix the salt, vinegar, and sugar in the filtered water until everything unites, then pour the liquid over the rinds in the jar.
- Seal the jar well, place it on a countertop in a comfortable spot for four days, turning the jar occasionally. After opening, keep it refrigerated.