The sweet taste of summer is here, in the shape of massive watermelons, piled up at make-shifts stalls by the road and on supermarket shelves. When you’re tired of eating chilled slices, juice dripping down your chest, here’s what you can do with this gorgeous fruit.
Turn it into slush
Chop and deseed watermelon. Run it through a blender till it’s a coarse puree. Freeze till it turns into slush. A great thing to keep the kids happy on a hot day.
Run chilled watermelon chunks through a blender. Strain the juice. Mix one part vodka with four parts juice and the juice of one lime and pour into a cocktail shaker with ice in it. Shake well, pour into salt-rimmed glasses and serve topped with a chunk of watermelon. Cheers!
In summer, when appetites are sluggish, watermelon makes a great breakfast smoothie. Whiz watermelon chunks in a blender with strawberries, bananas or other fruit. Add yogurt if you like. A tablespoon of quick-cooking oats will make the drink more filling.
The sweetness of watermelon is the perfect foil for salty cheese such as feta. Place chunks of chilled watermelon on a plate. Crumble over some feta. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with some olive oil and garnish with fresh basil leaves or mint. And there you have it – the perfect hot weather appetiser.
Give the classic cold soup, gazpacho, a fruity twist. Blend together peeled and deseeded tomatoes, watermelon chunks, cucumber and a small green pepper. Season with salt, pepper and red wine vinegar. Chill well and serve as a light lunch on a warm day.
