Cool off with summer melons

(The Vieille France is one of the heirloom melons about which Amy Goldman of Rhinebeck writes in her book "Melons for the Passionate Grower"/Victor Schrager photo, Artisan)

Summer melons must be a little taste of heaven. Warmed by the sun and plumped with recent rains, summer melons seem to sum up the essence of the season.

Today’s Busy Cook in the Poughkeepisie Journal features a story and recipe on summer melons from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Do check it out, because in its simplicity, this dish rises to star status. The melon is drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar and cracked black pepper.

(Local melons will soon be available at farmers markets/Gannett News Service photos)

Local farmers markets soon will be brimming with fresh melons. Summer melons need no embellishments, but they do cozy up to certain additions such as fresh mint, hot chilies and balsamic vinegar.
Take advantage of them while they are in season in recipes both sweet and savory. Cut them up and toss them with salad greens or whiz them up in a blender for a cold soup. Buy extra and scoop them out with a melon baller and freeze them on cookie sheets, then bag them up to enjoy in fall and winter.

One of my favorite books on melons is Amy Goldman's "Melons for the Passionate Grower," which is a not only a feast for the gardener, but a feast for the eyes. Goldman, who lives in our beautiful Hudson Valley, is a champion seed saver and gardener who works to preserve heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables. Check out some of her recipes and more about this agricultural artist in older posts here. Goldman is also the author of two glorious books on tomatoes and squash.

But back to melons, here are some more recipes from Joe Bonwich of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that use melons in salsa, salad and a cool drink. Of course, all melons are not created equal, so do try the Fruit Rescue Glaze, a resuscitation trick from renowned vegetarian-cookbook author Mollie Katzen.

Melon Salsa

Yield: About 2 1/4 cups

1. 3/4 cup diced honeydew melon
2. 3/4 cup diced cantaloupe
3. 3/4 cup diced watermelon
4. 1 1/2 teaspoons minced serrano chile, with seeds
5. 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh mint
6. 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
7. 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• Thoroughly combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
• Serve with corn chips or as a topping for tostadas.

Nutrition information per ( 1/4-cup) serving: 15 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; no protein; 4g carbohydrate; 3.5g sugar; no fiber; 5mg sodium; 4mg calcium.

Adapted from "The Great Salsa Book," by Mark Miller (Ten Speed Press, 1994)

Fruit Rescue Glaze

Yield: About 3/4 cup (enough for 1 large melon or 2 smaller melons)

1. 1 cup apple, grape or other fruit juice
2. 1 cup vinegar
3. 1/3 cup granulated sugar or honey, or more to taste

• Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Make sure that the area is well-ventilated. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until mixture is reduced by about two-thirds.
• Taste for sweetness and add more sugar or honey if desired. Cool to room temperature. To use, drizzle over bland melon, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Nutrition information per tablespoon: 30 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; no protein; 8g carbohydrate; 8g sugar; no fiber; 2mg sodium; no calcium.

Adapted from "Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe," by Mollie Katzen (Hyperion, 2002)

Tomato-Watermelon Salad with Almond Vinaigrette

Yield: 6 servings

1. 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
2. 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3. 2 teaspoons harissa (see note)
4. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5. 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
6. Juice of 1 lime
7. 2 shallots, thinly sliced
8. 1 cup 1/2-inch-cubes watermelon
9. 1 jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced
10. 2 tablespoons torn flat-leaf parsley
11. 2 tablespoons torn mint leaves
12. 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
13. 1/2 teaspoon salt
14. Freshly ground black pepper
15. 3 red tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), roughly chopped
16. 3 yellow tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), roughly chopped
17. 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

• Combine almonds, garlic and harissa in a small pan over medium heat and saute for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Combine olive oil, vinegar, lime juice and shallots in a small bowl. Whisk in almond-harissa mixture.
• Toss watermelon, jalapeno, parsley, mint and capers in a large bowl. Season with salt and a few grindings of pepper. Add tomatoes and vinaigrette and toss to combine. Garnish with goat cheese; serve immediately.

Note: Harissa is a hot red pepper paste that can be found in the ethnic aisle of some supermarkets and in African and Middle Eastern specialty stores.

Nutrition information per serving: 185 calories; 13g fat; 4g saturated fat; 12mg cholesterol; 6g protein; 12g carbohydrate; 5g sugar; 3g fiber; 310mg sodium; 140mg calcium.
Adapted from "New American Table," by Marcus Samuelsson (Wiley, 2009)

Melon Cooler

Yield: 8 servings

1. 8 cups (1/2-inch) watermelon cubes
2. 1 1/2 cups cold ginger ale, divided
3. 1/3 cup cold water, divided
4. 1 (6-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate, divided

• Place watermelon cubes in a single layer in an extra-large zipper-top plastic freezer bag; freeze for 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Process 4 cups watermelon, 3/4 cup ginger ale and about half of the water and half the limeade concentrate in a blender until smooth; pour into a pitcher. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, stir into the pitcher, and serve immediately.

Variations: Substitute honeydew melon cubes for the watermelon cubes and 1 (6-ounce) can of frozen lemonade concentrate for the limeade. Or substitute cantaloupe cubes for the watermelon and add 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon at a time, when processing.

Nutrition information per serving: 120 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; no protein; 31g carbohydrate; 29g sugar; 1g fiber; 10mg sodium; 10mg calcium.

Adapted from "Southern Living Farmers Market Cookbook" (Oxmoor House, 2010)