Moscow Food Co-op Recipes
All in Good Time:
Seasonal Cooking: Melons
In my mind, nothing speaks of mid-summer like the sweet aroma and slurpy goodness of a perfectly ripe melon. Thank goodness, melons arrive in our garden markets just in time to give relief from the dog days of summer. The cooling qualities of melons are more than merely refreshing - they are also useful for soothing hot conditions like fevers and dry coughs.
Melons are members of the gourd family, the relatives of cucumbers and squash. Orange-fleshed melons have excellent beta carotene content, which puts them high on the list of anti-carcinogenic foods. Melons are an excellent potassium source, and have an anticoagulant ingredient, adenosine, which studies have indicated offers support for those with heart disease. So there are lots of good reasons to take advantage of the melon season this summer.
Cantaloupe Bowls with Sherbet
Many summers ago, I had a friend who would call me on oppressive August days
to meet her in the park for lunch. Our menu was set - cantaloupe bowls filled
with sherbet. If you've never tried it, wait for the next insufferably hot day
and a perfectly ripe cantaloupe and experience picnic bliss.
1 small ripe cantaloupe
1 pint any flavour sherbet
1 knife
2 spoons
Slice the cantaloupe and remove seeds. Scoop the sherbet into each cantaloupe 'bowl' and devour with abandon.
Watermelon
Salad with Pecans and Feta
Watermelon is a good source of vitamins C and A and potassium. It is low in
sodium and calories and has no fat. This Middle Eastern breakfast salad makes
a great side dish to a grilled supper.
2 cups watermelon cubes, seeds removed
1/2 c feta cheese cubes
8 toasted pecan halves, chopped
8 slivered mint leaves
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
Grinding of fresh pepper
Mix everything together and toss well. Serve right away.
Melon with Cardamom
Purchase a cantaloupe with no stem or stem fragment. Hold it at room temperature
until it has a pleasant cantaloupe aroma and yields slightly to light thumb
pressure on the blossom end, and when the rind's netting is a dull yellowish.
1 cantaloupe, chilled
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
A grinding or two of pepper
Using a melon baller, cut the melon into balls - or just dice it if you have no melon baller. Toss with the remaining ingredients and serve in glass dishes with a sprig of mint.
Melon
Compote
Ginger, cumin, and black pepper add an exotic touch to this refreshing and colorful
three-melon dessert, which can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1-inch piece gingerroot, peeled and grated
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups 3/4-inch watermelon balls (from about a 3-pound piece, seeded)
2 cups 3/4-inch honeydew melon balls (from about a 3-pound piece, seeded)
2 cups 3/4-inch cantaloupe balls (from about a 3-pound piece, seeded)
In a 1-quart saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar
is dissolved, and simmer 2 minutes. Cool syrup and stir in lime juice, gingerroot,
cumin, pepper, and salt to taste. In a bowl toss together melon balls and syrup.
Chill compote, covered, at least until cold, about 2 hours, and up to 3 days.
Robin Ohlgren-Evans is quite sure that the long days of summer don't get any better than right here on the Palouse. Your comments are welcome via email.
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