Summer Delights
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday January 20, 1998
NO backyard summer barbeque would be complete without the customary plate piled high with icy-cold watermelon slices.
For thousands of years sweet and succulent melons have been enjoyed for their taste and refreshing qualities. Melons are made up of 90 per cent water and are low in calories and high in vitamins.
They are ideal for making ice blocks, salads, sorbets, refreshing drinks or au naturel seeded, sliced or as melon balls.
A wide variety of melons are available almost all year round, but the best time to find sweet ripe melons is from late December until the end of February.
With many different types of melons to choose from there is no way to tire of the sweet tasting fruits.
Watermelon and seedless watermelon: Watermelons originated in Africa 4000 years ago and are the largest of the melons. Their skin is dark green with pale-coloured stripes and the flesh is deep pink. Seedless watermelons are slightly smaller than regular watermelon - but contain less than five per cent of the seeds. Many people prefer these melons for use in salads and other recipes. Both varieties are best served icy cold and once cut should be wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator. They are a good source of vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and dietary fibre.
Champagne and mini melons: The mini melon is very similar to a watermelon but is rounder and smaller. Champagne melons are a relatively new breed (five to six years old) and have a distinctive pale golden flesh with a sweet flavour. Both varieties are high in vitamin A. Champagne melons make a delicious addition to desserts and salads.
Honeydew melon: The sweetest of all the melons, honeydew melons come in two types. The more common variety has a greenish white skin and pale green flesh. The other is the golden honeydew, which has golden-coloured skin and green flesh. Honeydew melons can last for up to four weeks in a cool place and should be eaten as soon as possible after cutting.
The best method to test for ripeness for all of the above melons is to hold it near your ear and give it a tap. A dull thud indicates the sound of a perfect melon.
Rockmelon: A distant cousin of the cucumber, rockmelon is called cantaloupe by many, after the Cantalupo region in Italy where it was first established. The rockmelon has succulent peach-coloured flesh and is high in vitamins and minerals. Rockmelons are great in a fruit salad and make the perfect accompaniment to prosciutto.
Rockmelons continue to ripen after being picked and are best stored in a cool place until cut, and then should be refrigerated. Press the blossom end of the rockmelon; if it yields slightly and has a distinctive rockmelon aroma then it's ready for eating.
Rockmelon Ice Cream Delight
Ingredients:
2 litres French vanilla ice cream
1 rockmelon
Method:
Halve the melon, remove seeds and scoop out the flesh. Set aside a quarter of the melon and puree the rest in a blender or food processor.
Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow to soften. Place in a bowl and beat until it is the consistency of thickened cream.
Stir the pureed rock melon into the softened and beaten ice cream. Place in the freezer and leave overnight.
To serve, use a melon scoop to scoop the flesh from the remaining rockmelon and place in parfait or dessert glasses. Scoop rockmelon ice cream on top and garnish with mint.
Recipe supplied by the Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers.
© 1998 Illawarra Mercury
