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Watermelon with pomegranate, lime and mint

16/1/2014

 
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Summertime. Canberra. 1960s. My childhood. Life was carefree and simple--and when it came to keeping cool there were only a couple of rules according to my parents: 'Go outside and play under the sprinkler'. And, 'Come, eat some fresh watermelon', or dinnye (diɲːɛ) as it is known in Magyar.

The days were hot in Canberra during summer in the 1960s. In fact, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, 'the highest recorded maximum temperature was 42.2 °C on 1 February 1968, followed closely by 41.4 °C on the previous day, that being 31 January 1968'. To compensate for the heat, my father always made sure that there was plenty of soda water or szódavíz, and a watermelon or two in the house. Fresh watermelons (usually the size of a small zeppelin) were kept in the laundry, which was south-facing and had cool cement floors covered by chic black and white linoleum tiles. My mother made brawn or kocsonya from pig's trotters, onions and carrots, and I remember that she would always place dishes of her brawn on top of the double cement tub in the cool of the laundry to allow the mixture to set to jelly. How the family loved that brawn! Ah, but now see I have digressed.

My family ate watermelon in the European way—that is, you were given a wedge of melon bigger than the biggest dinner plate, along with a small blunt fruit knife. With a tea towel tucked into the neckline of your shift or your shirt, you'd sit and cut cubes of watermelon and eat them from the end of the knife. It was the ONLY time we were allowed to eat with a knife in this way and we did this with rockmelon (sárgadinnye), too.

As parts of Australia swelter with temperatures well into the mid 40s, Canberra has now hit the 40 °C mark too. As such, there's a good sized (seven kilogram!) watermelon chilling in my fridge. The fruit is fresh, juicy and sweet—and a fast, refreshing summertime treat. Watermelon teams beautifully with lime, mint and pomegranate, such as in my Watermelon and Vodka Crush with Pomegranate. Indeed, the combination of watermelon and lime is so mind-blowingly good that Peter's eyebrows go up as he eats it with gusto! I use a similar combination of ingredients to prepare a salad made from watermelon with pomegranate, lime and mint, which I'm sharing here. I remember that I first tasted this type of salad in the 1990s, when one of the chefs that I'd invited to the cooking school served it with a barbecued lamb back strap. Here's how I like to prepare it.

The recipe or method...

This is so simple, you really don't need a recipe, but I know that some of you will ask, so here we go.

WATERMELON WITH POMEGRANATE, LIME AND MINT
6 cups cubed watermelon*
seeds from one pomegranate
3 tablespoons mint leaves, shredded
juice from 2 limes
wedges of lime and mint sprigs, to garnish

Combine the cubed watermelon with the pomegranate seeds in a serving bowl. Sprinkle over the shredded mint leaves and sprinkle with the lime juice before serving. Serves 4-6. *I use the flesh cut from from 3.5kg watermelon.

Flavour variations:
To 'dessertify' this salad, add lime zest and some sliced strawberries, and perhaps some brown sugar and rum. For a more savoury salad, add crumbled feta, some caramelised onion or eschalot, and dress with a drizzle of olive oil. Perfect with grilled salmon or barbecued lamb.

Watermelon and iced gin a la Lyndey:
For something deliciously different and extra special for adults only, home cooking 'hero', Lyndey Milan, loves to serve watermelon with iced gin. Simply cut watermelon into wedges and serve on a plate beside a shot glass of iced gin. Lyndey says it's imperative that the gin is of very good quality, such as Tanqueray, Bombay, Sapphire or Gordons. Dip the watermelon wedges into the gin if you’re feeling really decadent!

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Watermelon teams beautifully with lime, mint and pomegranate...

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Watermelon = fresh, juicy and sweet...

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To be eaten with gusto...

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Tell me, is it hot in your part of the world right now? What are you doing to stay cool? And what rules did your parents set down in the summers of your childhood?
Tandy | Lavender and Lime link
15/1/2014 03:05:37 pm

I've been adding lime to my watermelon for the past two weeks! I'm going to try the pomegranates as well. Stay cool if possible :)

Lizzy
15/1/2014 04:29:36 pm

Tandy, great minds! Thank you for your good wishes! : )

Jane @ Shady Baker
15/1/2014 04:36:54 pm

Hi Lizzy, beautiful, vibrant photos on this hot afternoon! I like the sound of the European way of eating melon. Your salad looks delicious. I like the idea of serving watermelon with lamb.

I don't really remember any specific summer rules from my childhood but my parents and grandparents were extremely strict on our table manners, all year round. I look back and I am grateful for this now. x

Lizzy
15/1/2014 06:03:26 pm

Thank you kindly, Jane.... I do hope you are managing to stay cool.... have you had any rain?

Table manners weren't so important at our house, although of course we didn't eat like heathens... I think after fleeing their home country after the uprising, my parents were just grateful to have food on the table and a roof over their heads... : )

johanna GGG link
15/1/2014 10:04:26 pm

that looks just beautiful and perfect for our heatwave

Lizzy
16/1/2014 09:16:00 am

Johanna... thank you kindly : )

Rosa link
15/1/2014 10:12:57 pm

Refreshing, healthy and delicious! A divine dessert.

Cheers,

Rosa

Lizzy
16/1/2014 09:16:13 am

Rosa, thank you very much : )

Susan link
16/1/2014 12:26:36 am

This is a wonderful recipe Liz! It's perfect for this weather and looks so refreshing! It's a great post too! xo

Lizzy
16/1/2014 09:16:34 am

Susan, thanks so much for your kinds words and for stopping by xo

Glamorous Glutton link
16/1/2014 06:51:46 am

I love watermelon and served this way would be very refreshing. As a child we would simply bury our faces in our slice of melon and chew!! no knives or anything else, except the napkin round our necks! GG

Lizzy
16/1/2014 09:16:59 am

GG, isn't it the best to eat watermelon in that way! Bring back childhood!

Laura (Tutti Dolci) link
16/1/2014 07:31:37 am

What a refreshing and delicious salad, so perfect for when the temperatures rise (I know it's scorching for you already!).

Lizzy
16/1/2014 09:17:21 am

It sure is, Laura... I think your Meyer Lemon Ice Cream will be on the agenda xo

Eva Taylor link
16/1/2014 09:15:53 am

Ah yes, the görögdinnye, such a simple yet tasty treat in the summer time. Of course, back then there weren't the seedless variety so not only was it refreshing to eat, but provided some entertainment for us kids as we projectile spat the seeds from our second story balcony! My friend from Illinois puts a very tiny amount of sea salt on her watermelon and she loves it that way.
I love the combo of lime and mint, it would make a perfect salad with a little sprinkling of feta!
My Mom used to make kocsonya, would it be the same as the "brawn" you mentioned? I adored it with a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice! The best parts were the pig's feet with the chewy skin. To be honest, it makes my skin crawl today, I just couldn't eat it now.
Soda water was big in our house too, and still is! Did your parents have one of those Spritzers? I have one but the cost of the little CO2 cartridges does not make it economical any more, just unique; mind you I LOVE my spritzer for whipping cream. My Aunt Ági in Budapest used to put a little Málna Szirup into the whipping cream for Malna crém for a simple and quick dessert.
Thanks again for the memories Liz, it's always a lovely visit.

Lizzy
16/1/2014 09:25:31 am

Eva, yes, görögdinnye, although my parents only referred to it as dinnye... or sárgadinnye for the rockmelon. You made me smile with your reference to spitting the seeds... we did that also! Kocsonya is what my mother made, brawn in English, and yes, with pig's feet. You know, I only ever tasted it once, but the rest of my family LOVED it so. We did indeed have a soda syphon... if you pop into the link I have pasted where I talk about soda water it takes you to the story. Remind me, what is malna? Almond? Thank you for sharing your memories too, Eva xox

Norma Chang link
16/1/2014 09:27:13 am

Your site was recommended to me by Eva Taylor.
I too sprinkle a bit of salt on my watermelon, brings out the sweetness.

Lizzy
16/1/2014 09:32:18 am

Norma, hello and welcome, thank you for stopping by! Interesting about the salt, I had not heard this before. : )

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
16/1/2014 09:44:10 am

This is perfect for the weather Lizzy! :D

Lizzy
16/1/2014 10:58:38 am

Thanks Lorraine, stay cool!

Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas link
16/1/2014 10:10:12 am

Watermelon was consumed in large quantities last weekend when it hit 44C here. I made watermelon, lime & mint popsicles which we ate sitting on the back step. So refreshing. You are so right about the watermelon & lime combination. It is fabulous.

Lizzy
16/1/2014 10:58:58 am

Your popsicles sound divine Tania! Stay cool.

Shirley ~ Rhubarb Whine link
16/1/2014 10:13:33 am

Yes. And yes!. Watermelon, basil and gin cordial is current watermelon addiction. Cool, refreshing and so good.

Lizzy
16/1/2014 10:59:23 am

Shirley, happy new year! Stay cool : )

Francesca link
16/1/2014 10:39:26 am

Stunning photos and a very tempting combination. I could do with some of that now, plus the gin, as we face another nasty windy day , with temperatures reaching 44c. Time to leave our home for safer pastures.

Lizzy
16/1/2014 10:59:50 am

Almost unbearable, isn't it Francesca. I think we are looking at 41 in Canberra today too. Stay cool.

Maureen link
16/1/2014 12:26:17 pm

I feel bad saying it was 29 yesterday and it will be 30 today with a light ocean breeze.

This dish of watermelon is perfect for this time of year. We had mango, rockmelon and blueberries for our breakfast fruit today but I wish I had your watermelon for lunch!

Lizzy
16/1/2014 05:50:54 pm

Maureen, 29 is just perfect! That's what it was in Sydney earlier this week. We were still able to enjoy the pool and walk around without feeling faint. Enjoy your fruit salad breakfast xo

John @ Kitchen Riffs link
16/1/2014 01:25:20 pm

I love watermelon season! We always have it for breakfast every morning during late spring until sometime in September. I always chunk it up and store in the refrigerator in a large covered bowl. That way we can help ourselves whenever we're hungry for a snack. Anyway, love this recipe - good stuff. Thanks.

Lizzy
16/1/2014 05:51:29 pm

John, that's a great idea... I think I used to do similar for my children when they were little. Thanks for stopping by.

Trish Cowper | infinebalance.com link
16/1/2014 01:37:24 pm

This is such a pretty salad

Lizzy
16/1/2014 05:51:45 pm

Thank you Trish.

Eha
16/1/2014 02:17:58 pm

You mean there is another way of eating watermelon [or mango, thinking further!] without leaning over a kitchen sink :) ?!! Yep, you ARE lucky!! We have to bear the abysmal heat for another 24 hours!!!!

Lizzy
16/1/2014 05:52:39 pm

Eha... we are up to 40 something today too... it's after 5.15pm and I just went out to water the street trees and got sunburned! At least there are no fires, thankful for that! Stay cool!

ela@GrayApron link
16/1/2014 05:03:15 pm

Never tried watermelon with mint...a perfect cooling combination, it seems. The whole salad looks so delicious, I wish I could reach and grab some! :) ela

Lizzy
16/1/2014 05:52:53 pm

Ela, please help yourself : )

Glenda link
17/1/2014 03:18:50 am

Liz, what a wonderful idea. I have a bag of pomegranate seeds in the freezer from last year's crop. I am making this very soon.

Lizzy
17/1/2014 07:47:24 am

Glenda, thank you.... I am in awe that you grow pomegranates... I'd love to do that, if only we had some room! : )

A Canadian Foodie link
17/1/2014 06:59:48 am

Somebody's been taking photography lessons! Wowswers - not only can you cook... but take incredible photos, now, too! I've had lime and mint with watermelon, often... and sometimes with shaved red onion and lettuce. YUM. Never with pom - but, can't go wrong there!
:)
V

Lizzy
17/1/2014 07:48:09 am

Thank you, Valerie. No photography lessons, just prac. Pomegranate is lovely with watermelon, and of course it's loaded with good things too!

Angela Roberts link
18/1/2014 12:32:54 am

What strikes me here is that we in the states never have watermelon and pomegranate at the same time. I love both of these, and together would be great.

Lizzy
18/1/2014 09:32:13 am

Angela, I take it you mean that watermelon and poms are not in season at the same time? Same here I think.... I am using pomegranate from the USA... it's the only imported fruit I will buy. Mostly because it's so good for my health!

David link
18/1/2014 07:44:38 am

This looks so refreshing - definitely something we will love here in the Sonoran Desert come summer! Thanks, Liz!

Lizzy
18/1/2014 09:32:38 am

Absolutely, David, perfect for scorching temperatures! Thank you for stopping by.

Deena Kakaya link
18/1/2014 08:48:38 am

Love the combination of watermelon and pomegranate, Im tempted to try it with halloumi x

Lizzy
18/1/2014 09:32:54 am

Yes, Deena, Haloumi would be good too!

Anita link
19/1/2014 06:29:44 pm

Thank you for sharing your childhood memories. It was a pleasure reading your post . The watermelon and pomegranate salad sounds refreshing and so vibrant

Lizzy
19/1/2014 07:34:24 pm

Anita, welcome and thank you for your kind words. Lovely to make your acquaintance. : )

azita link
20/1/2014 03:39:38 am

I have been too crazed to read my favorite blogs and looks like I'm so many delicious posts and recipes behind. Must catch up! Combo of pom and watermelon and mint sounds heaven. Heaven!

Lizzy
20/1/2014 06:51:13 am

Hello Azita... you must have been very busy, welcome back. This is indeed heavenly! : )

kellie@foodtoglow link
20/1/2014 09:48:32 pm

Although it doesn't get into the 40s here in Scotland (thank goodness) this is still the kind of simple treat I can eat non-stop when there is the slightest hint of a heatwave. I grew up in Tennessee and Florida, both US states known for their watermelons, so this has made me a little homesick

Lizzy
21/1/2014 06:33:18 am

Hello Kellie... watermelons are the best in summer, no? Thanks for stopping by, my friend xo


Comments are closed.

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    Üdvözölöm
    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

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