Thursday, July 18, 2013

Watermelon All Day Long

By MARK BITTMAN

You don’t need an expert to tell you that watermelon is just about the most refreshing thing you could possibly eat in the middle of summer, and that the first and best way to “prepare” it is to just cut it up and devour it, letting the juice drip down your face and spitting the seeds (more on these in a minute) as far as you can.

When the weather is clammy and the watermelons are juicy and sweet (and cheap), it makes sense to have them on hand pretty much all the time. And that means there may be instances when your innate creativity (or boredom) might drive you a little further. Luckily, there are many worthy and refreshing things to do with watermelon that are somewhere between simple slicing and full-blown cooking.

There are no bad watermelons, but how can you improve your chances for a ripe, delicious one? The cheater’s answer is to buy them at a farm stand or a farmers’ market, where not only are they likely to be tastier but will also come with a seasoned pro to help.

If you’re in the grocery store, you might have to get a little rough: put your ear close and slap the side of the watermelon. If it makes a hollow sound, you’re in business.

Because all the concoctions here (aside from the salads) involve buzzing the watermelon in a food processor or a blender, you’ll probably want to get rid of the seeds first. In the luxurious era of seedless watermelons, of course, this is often taken care of before you get to the store. (I am not convinced that seedless watermelons are as tasty as some of the older varieties, but this time of year they’re all pretty good, and you probably won’t have much of a choice anyway.) If you do find a melon with seeds, cut it lengthwise into quarters, slice off the “heart” of each quarter to expose the row of seeds and remove them with the tines of a fork. Cut the watermelon into chunks, and use them for any of the recipes here, which should all give you four servings.

Save yourself a few wedges to munch on while you work; the first idea is often the best.

COCKTAILS

SALAD

SOUP

DESSERT