A morning at the summer farmers’ market is an inevitable source of culinary inspiration. In California, we have won the Produce Sweepstakes. The combination of blue skies, truckloads of just-picked sweet corn, and the intoxicating perfume created by juicy stone fruits, plump blackberries, ripe strawberries, and fresh flowers does it to me every time. Top it all off with a little live background music, and I’m ready to do some serious shopping. There’s a reason I keep an ice chest in the trunk of my car.
Vine-ripened tomatoes and just-picked corn win the popularity contest at the market, with berries and stone fruits running a close second. But don’t overlook the proliferation of melons, which seem exceptionally sweet this year. Be it orange or green-fleshed, a succulent wedge of ripe melon is a surefire way to begin a summer day.
And then there’s watermelon. (sigh) Not the anemic, mealy specimens piled high at the supermarket, but the seductively sweet and juicy melon that childhood dreams are made of. I can rarely resist taking one home to enjoy throughout the week. Plain or fancy, watermelon rocks.
A couple of summers ago I attended a potluck with a number of fellow food professionals. One particular salad, provided by my friend and colleague Cheryl Loring, was the star of the afternoon. I was not the only one who returned for seconds. We begged, and she shared her recipe.
I must admit I’m a little “meh” about most watermelon salads. So many try too hard to be “creative”and end up masking the watermelon flavor with a lot of hefty ingredients. But this salad made me (and others) sit up and take notice. The unlikely combination of sweet melon and crunchy cucumber tossed in a slightly spicy, fruit-forward dressing with an unexpected touch of heat, is finished off with cooling shreds of fresh mint, making it as refreshing as it is intriguing.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m still all about enjoying an ice-cold hunk of summer watermelon any time of day or night, but sometimes I need to up my game, especially when entertaining. That’s why this salad is now part of my annual repertoire.
Cheryl Loring teaches custom cooking classes in her delightful art-filled home in Alameda. She is the consummate hostess, and her knowledge of various cuisines knows no bounds. (As an added bonus her husband, Michael, is a brilliant chocolatier.) Find out how to learn more creative recipes from Cheryl’s Party Kitchen by going to cherylloring.com.You may just add a new dish or two to your own repertoire.
Cheryl’s Watermelon and Cucumber Ribbon Salad
1 English (seedless) cucumber, ends trimmed
4 cups diced seedless watermelon
1/4 cup Momma Cheryl’s Apple Cinnamon Syrup (recipe follows)
1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon mint chiffonade*
- Use a mandolin or vegetable peeler to cut the cucumber lengthwise into ribbons.
- In a large bowl, mix together the syrup, lemon juice, and pepper flakes. Add the cucumber ribbons, watermelon, and mint. Toss gently to mix. Serve chilled. Serves 6 to 8.
* Chiffonade is a technique used to cut leaves into fine ribbons. (In French, it literally means ‘made of rags.”) A shower of herbaceous goodness is not only a practical way to distribute flavor, but looks charming—albeit a teeny bit chef-y—adding a festive, confetti-like appearance to any dish. (And in this case, also mimics the cucumber ribbons.)
To make the mint chiffonade: Stack several mint leaves on top of each other, neatly aligned; then roll them into a tight cylinder. Use a sharp knife or kitchen scissors to cut the cylinder crosswise into very thin strips. Separate the strips with your fingertips, and let the party begin!
Momma Cheryl’s Apple Cinnamon Syrup
This recipe makes far more syrup than you’ll need for this salad, but it keeps very well in the refrigerator. Make it your “secret ingredient” to add to vinaigrettes; pie fillings; or to drizzle over berries or other fruit salads. It can also be drizzled over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream; stirred into applesauce or yogurt; or added to just about anything that would benefit from a hint of spicy sweetness.
1 quart apple cider
1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
1/3 cup pomegranate molasses
- In a medium saucepan, combine the apple cider and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 20 minutes, or until the cider is reduced by half.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pomegranate molasses. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the mixture reaches a syrup-like consistency that will coat the back of a spoon. Let cool, then transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate until needed.
Seeds of Wisdom
–Since melons have no starch reserves to convert to sugar, they do NOT continue to ripen once harvested. This alone is reason enough to shop the farmers’ market, where quality is a given.
–Shopping tips: A whole watermelon should feel heavy for its size. Then look at the area where the melon has rested on the ground during its growing period—a creamy yellow area indicates ripeness at the time of harvest.
–A whole watermelon can be kept at cool room temperature for up to 1 week; or refrigerated, whole, for up to 2 weeks.
–It takes 8 to 10 hours to chill a whole watermelon thoroughly, so plan accordingly.
–Always rinse the outside of any melon well with water before slicing.
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad & Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.org. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well!
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