Fun with watermelon

When I was a kid, I loved watermelon.  We never did anything exciting with it--just cut it up and ate it on the back porch, sticky juice dripping everywhere (come to think of it, my mom was pretty smart for not letting us in the house until we were finished).  As a single adult, I never bought it, because the thought of going through a whole watermelon was daunting.  And they never seemed all that cheap in my urban-ish grocery stores, anyway.  As a married lady, I can always hand remaining watermelon to my husband, who serves so many functions in the household, but human garbage disposal is definitely at the top of the list when leftovers are getting old (thanks, honey).  But somehow I had gotten over watermelon from my years off the stuff, and I sort of assumed it was just a childish treat without much nutritional importance, anyway.  I was dead wrong about that: the stuff is loaded with vitamins A & C, potassium, and lycopene.  It's also loaded with sugar, but it's still better for you than beer.

In dry, dusty Colorado, watermelon is thirst-quenching, cold, and refreshing, and it's also cheap out here in the sticks, living near so many farms that grow the stuff.  So, I'm bringing watermelon back to the table this summer.  This may not be revolutionary to those of you who have been loyal to this old friend all along, but perhaps my little experiments will find their way to your tables, too.



Cucumber and Watermelon Salad

I know, why didn't I think of it sooner?

Serves 4

1 pound cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into thin half-circles
3 cups chunked watermelon
1/4 of a red onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Combine all ingredients and serve immediately.

Watermelon and Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic

Loosely adapted from Louisa Shafia's New Persian Kitchen, this is a clever way to incorporate that daily dose of apple cider vinegar we're all supposed to be drinking every day.

Serves 2

1 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups chopped watermelon
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Drink immediately.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad

Wonderfully weird, and totally perfect.

Serves 4

2 cups fresh tomato, chopped
2 cups fresh watermelon, chopped
6 large basil leaves, chiffonaded
tablespoon lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve immediately.

Summer Squash "Lasagna"

This recipe is friendly to all you gluten-free types out there, but the real reason I developed it is because I have so much summer squash I don't know what to do with it all.  Anyone who has ever grown these tender yellow tubes know what I'm talking about.  So, instead of using lasagna noodles, I use sliced squash.  If zucchini is your garden problem, use that instead. You could also throw in some no-bake noodles underneath if you can't live without the carbs, but as a professed carb queen, I can tell you that I really don't miss them in this recipe.

Summer Squash “Lasagna”

Makes 12 pieces

…or you could use zucchini.  Add this to the list of recipes developed to survive the onslaught of these summer beauties that just seem to take over the garden from July to October.

4 large summer squash, cut into ½ -inch thick “coins”
4 large tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch thick slices
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
8 oz. ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Dried oregano, salt and crushed red pepper flakes
Cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

You can skip this step if you’re pressed for time, but it will help keep the moisture content down: lay all squash and tomato slices out in single layers on thick paper towels or flour sack towels, salt lightly, and place another layer of paper/ flour sack towels on top.  Allow to sit at least 30 minutes before building your lasagna.  This releases the excess water from the vegetables so they don’t become a soup in the oven.

I threw in a green tomato that had fallen off the vine early.

Oil a large lasagna pan with extra virgin olive oil.  Start layering: squash coins on the bottom, a tomato slice on top of each squash coin.  Add a little salt, red pepper, and dried oregano on top, then small blobs of ricotta on each tomato slice, followed by a very thin scattering of some mozzarella.  Continue in this fashion, pressing down to compact the cheese as you go, until you’re out of all the squash and tomatoes--your last layer should be vegetables.  Scatter the fresh basil all over the top, then cover with remaining (should be the majority of the 4 cups) mozzarella.

Cover the pan with foil, allowing a little space at the top so it doesn’t stick to the cheese.  Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes.  Uncover, raise temperature to 425°F, and bake another 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and some of the extra liquid in the pan has reduced to more of a sauce.

A Midsummer Feast

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone!  Although I am already complaining about the heat (really?  100 degrees this weekend for the Fort Collins Brew Fest?!?!), I really do love the excuse to sit on the patio and eat and drink right from the garden.  The Scandinavians have it right: their Midsummer Festival is almost as important as Christmas, and it involves plenty of consumption.  Here's my dream menu for this holiday, which I think we should all celebrate tonight:

~Midsummer Menu~

Watermelon Mojitos

Moroccan Spiced Grapes

Scandinavian Melon Salad

Savory Greens Pie

Garbanzo and Raisin Salad

Salmon Cakes

Scandinavian Rhubarb Crumble