Dieter's Herbed Shrimp and Watermelon Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another of the main course salads I rely on when I'm watching my weight. It is simple to make, and I've come to love the texture and melded flavors of the herbs and vegetables that bolster the shrimp used in the salad. I use large shrimp, not because they're better, but because they are easier to peel and portion, and I always seem to be in a hurry these days. I prefer to make the salad using oregano or basil, while the Silver Fox is keen on mint. Often the final choice depends on what fresh herbs I have on hand. Unfortunately, the watermelon, which adds a pleasant sweetness to the salad, gets goopy if it sits too long, so plan to make only what's required for the meal at hand. The recipe can, however, be doubled if you have a need for 8 salads. Here is how this salad comes together.

Watermelon Jelly

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My fondness for watermelon jelly beans will be my downfall. I love their flavor and came to the conclusion that a watermelon-flavored jelly would also be delicious and make a fantastic toast topper. The only problem with that conclusion was the jelly is not available locally, and if I wanted a jar of it, I would have to make it myself. I've resisted doing that because this is a tricky jelly to get right, and making it is far more involved than putting-by the freezer jams I love so much. Here the ingredients must be mixed and boiled and then processed in jars that are submerged in a boiling water bath. That means special canning equipment is necessary and that jars and lids must be sterilized before the jelly can be processed. Simply stated it is a bother to make. I also hesitated because this jelly has a fairly high failure rate and can be hard to set or gel. The amount of water in a melon is variable and sometimes the initial addition of pectin is not sufficient to set the jelly. The other problem with this particular jelly is the smell watermelon makes when it is heated. It stinks. Fortunately, the odor does not affect the finished product. The jelly retains a watermelon flavor, and, while it is very sweet, it really does make a lovely toast topper. I doubt this will become a regular entry in your summer canning schedule, but you might want to try it for its novelty. Here's a small batch recipe.

Watermelon Jelly...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Bert's Cannery

Ingredients:
2 cups seeded, diced watermelon
3-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 package powdered fruit pectin

Directions:
1) Place diced watermelon in jar of an electric blender and puree until completely smooth. You should have 2 cups of puree. If you wish a clearer jelly, strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth or use a jelly bag.
2) Combine watermelon puree, sugar and lemon juice in a 6 to 8-quart heavy bottomed pan. Over high heat, bring mixture to a rolling boil (a boil that cannot be stirred down), stirring constantly. Stir in pectin all at once and return to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. Skim foam from surface of jelly.
3) Ladle jelly into clean hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely away from drafts, then store in cool, dark place. Makes 4 half-pints.

One Year Ago Today: Watermelon Gazpacho

Two Years Ago Today: Strawberry Cake a la Martha Stewart

Three Years Ago Today: Blue Cheese Gougeres

A Watermelon Extravaganza

Summer is coming to and end, but it's still hot out there. Cool down with a refreshing watermelon treat from this selection of recipes from One Perfect Bite.










Watermelon Gin Fizz






















Watermelon and Strawberry Sorbet






















Watermelon Limeade

























Watermelon Smoothie





















Watermelon Cucumber and Tomato Salad


















Watermelon Gazpacho



















Watermelon and Tomato Salad


















Watermelon and Watercress Salad with Ginger

















Watermelon Rind Pickle


























Watermelon Aqua Fresca

Watermelon and Strawberry Sorbet Two Ways

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our green markets and farm stands are flooded with waves of local watermelon and strawberries that come from nearby states. I, of course, continue to over-buy, and, even with a house full of company, find myself left with small amounts of each that not much can be done with. Unless, of course, you think sorbet. Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from sweetened water that is flavored with fruit, wine or liqueur. Unlike sherbet, it contains no milk or cream. While I'd like to think the first sorbet was made by a housewife or cook who had a dilemma similar to mine, I can't claim that to be the truth. Oral history, in fable form, credits the Roman Emperor Nero for the creation of sorbet in the 1st century. It's said that runners along the Appian way passed containers of snow, bucket brigade-style, down the mountains to his kitchens where it was mixed with honey and wine to produce a sorbet-like dessert. Culinary historians credit Marco Polo for bringing a similar dessert to Italy from China in the 13th century. They believe sorbet was brought from Italy to France by Catherine de' Medici at the time of her marriage to the Duke of Orleans, who would later become Henry II of France. It was well received and by the end of the 17th century it was served in the streets of Paris and had spread to England. As a matter of fact, Hannah Glasse has a recipe for sorbet in her cookbook, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. As desserts go, this one is really easy to do. It generally is made with a simple syrup to which a fruit puree is added. It can be made with or without an ice cream maker, and for that reason you'll find two recipes for sorbet below. The combination of watermelon and strawberry makes an especially nice sorbet. Whichever recipe you use, I know you'll be pleased. There is nothing here not to like.

Watermelon and Strawberry Sorbet I

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint

Directions:
1) Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
2) Place watermelon, strawberries and sugar syrup in a blender. Cover and process for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Strain and discard seeds and pulp. Transfer puree to a 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Freeze for 1 hour or until edges begin to firm.
3) Stir in mint. Freeze 2 hours longer or until firm. Just before serving, transfer to a blender; cover and process for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Yield: 6 servings.

Watermelon and Strawberry Sorbet II...courtesy of John Besh

Ingredients:
1 pint strawberries, hulled
1 cup diced, seeded watermelon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
1) In blender, puree strawberries, watermelon, lemon juice and sugar until smooth. Check that puree has correct amount of sugar. Add more sugar or juice if necessary. How do you know you've added enough? You should be able to float an egg, still in its shell, in the puree.
2) Transfer puree to canister of an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Keep sorbet in freezer until ready to use. Serves 6.







One Year Ago Today: Breakfast Polenta with Chorizo and Queso Fresco













Two Years Ago Today: Lemon Custard

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cherry Sherbet - The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Chocolate Sorbet - Wonderfoodland
Berry Basil Sorbet - Former Chef
Pina Colada Sorbet - Gina's Skinny Recipes
Limoncello Mint Sorbet - Culinary Cory

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Watermelon Gazpacho

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm not a huge fan of chilled fruit soups. I enjoy gazpacho now and then, but it is not the type of dish I ever have a yen for. If it appears on the table that's fine, if it doesn't, that's fine too. I had a pleasant surprise this weekend. A watermelon gazpacho was one of the dishes we shared with friends at the potluck on Saturday. It was extraordinarily good and I was unprepared for how tasty it could be. While tomatoes and other vegetables had obviously been used in its preparation, the dominant flavor was a watermelon whose sweetness had been slightly tempered by the addition of vinegar and olive oil. It had amazing color that my photo only hints at. My soup, and almost all the others I found on the web, look red or orange in photographs. The soup is actually pink. In a completely pureed state, it would be a perfect starter for a bridal shower, especially if served in cocktail glasses. I prefer my gazpacho without chunks, so I kept the whole pieces of fruit to an absolute minimum. While sweet peppers and other vegetables can easily be added to the ingredient list, use an easy hand with them. It is important not to overwhelm the watermelon flavor that this soup is all about. Like all chilled soup, you''ll find this needs a generous measure of salt to season it. Here's the recipe I used to make the soup.

Watermelon Gazpacho...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped ripe red tomatoes
1 small jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
5 cups cubed fresh water melon, divided use
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon minced red onion
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced cilantro, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
In a blender, puree tomatoes, chile, and 4 cups of watermelon. Pour in sherry wine vinegar and olive oil and pulse. Add onion, cucumber and cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour into chilled bowls and sprinkle with cilantro, feta, and remaining watermelon. Serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.







One Year Ago Today: Strawberry Cake a la Martha Stewart













Two Years Ago Today: Blue Cheese Gourgeres






You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cool and Chunky Gazpacho - The Kosher Tomato
Recipe: Gazpacho for Warm Summer Days - My Healthy Eating Habits
Bloody Mary Gazpacho - Picture Perfect Meals
Mango Gazpacho - Delishhh
Creamy Gazpacho - The Baking Beauties

Watermelon and Tomato Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely salad is perfect to serve with summer's al fresco meals and I wanted you to have the recipe for it well in advance of the 4th of July holiday. It's very easy to prepare and it adds a lovely brightness to any meal where it is served. While the various element of the salad can be assembled early in the day, they should be combined and dressed just prior to serving. The salad is best served icy cold and, for optimal visual effect, you'll want to use the yellow tomatoes called for in the recipe. 'm using a photo from Taste of Home magazine to illustrate the way the salad should look. I had to make it this evening using only red tomatoes and it did not photograph well. I'll replace their photo with one of my own before the holiday. The magazine photo has been replaced with one of my own. I know many of you are going to question the use of the mango if this recipe. It adds a tart sweetness to the dressing that is hard to duplicate with other ingredients, so I'm going to say it is necessary in this application. I'm fairly certain that those of you make the salad will be pleased with the results. If you need more than six servings, the recipe can, of course, be doubled. Here's how it is made.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from a recipe developed for Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
Salad Dressing
1-1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons honey
1 small mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Salad
4 cups cubed seedless watermelon
3/4 pound yellow tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 3 medium)
3/4 pounds red tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 3 medium)
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) For dressing, place lime juice, white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, mango, lime peel, salt
and pepper in a blender; cover and process until pureed.
2) In a large bowl, combine watermelon, tomatoes, onions and cilantro. Just before serving, add dressing and toss to coat. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 6 servings.







One Year Ago Today: Apple Raisin Chutney















Two Years Ago Today: Arista - Tuscan Herbed Pork Loin





You might also enjoy these recipes:
Watermelon Salad with Grapefruit-Mint Vinaigrette - Confections of a Foodie Bride
Minty Peach and Watermelon Salad with Feta - What's for Lunch, Honey?
Minty Watermelon Salad - Never Enough Thyme
Watermelon Salad - Life's Ambrosia
Watermelon Salad with Rose and Mint Syrup - Technicolor Kitchen

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While searching for side dishes that would add pizzaz to barbecues and picnics, I came across this lovely salad that's guaranteed to waken tired taste buds. It's made with watermelon, tomatoes and cucumbers and gets an added boost of flavor from herbs that you get to choose. It's tossed with a light vinaigrette and served in a hollowed melon shell that adds visual appeal to an otherwise plain presentation. While there is some chopping involved, the salad is simple to make and it is portable. It can also be made more substantial with the addition of cooked shrimp or feta cheese. The components of this salad all release large amounts of liquid and they will drown in their own juice if the salad sits too long. So, while I prepare everything hours in advance of serving, I wait until the last minute to combine and toss the elements together. I love this dish, but as I made it a wave of nostalgia washed over me. You see, I remember a time when watermelon was a treat eaten while lying shoeless in the grass as we searched the sky for Venus and craters on the moon. No one spoke of mint or maceration, as seeds were spit, willy-nilly, among the fire-flies that lit the dark Midwestern night. I hope our children all still know the joy of simple pleasures and hear the crickets song. Here's the recipe that started my reverie. I think you'll really like it.

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Beth Nakamura and Oregon Live

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup slivered red onion
Pinch salt
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups diced (1/2-inch) seeded watermelon
2 ripe firm, meaty tomatoes, cut into 16 thin wedges
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves or other herbs such as mint or tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Combine sugar, vinegar, onion, salt and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add oil. Set aside to cool.
2) Combine watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers and basil in a large bowl. About an hour before serving, pour dressing over mixture and toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill. Turn mixture into a watermelon shell to serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Corn Salad with Edamame and Tomatoes - One Perfect Bite
Asian Bean Sprout Salad - One Perfect Bite
Asparagus and White Bean Salad - One Perfect Bite
Picnic Pasta Salad - Good Bite
Grated Carrot Salad - Culinate
Dill Potato Salad - Susi's Kochen Und Backen Adventures

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Watermelon and Watercress Salad with Ginger

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've watched this group of women work their way through past challenges in which one member selects an ingredient the others must use. I wanted to join them but I suffered from lack of time or brain drain each time one of their challenges came up. I vowed to jump into the pool this time around only to find that this week's BSI (Blogger Secret Ingredient) is watermelon. I wasn't thrilled. I have a limited watermelon repertoire, but I had committed, so, watermelon it will be. My recipe is for a really lovely salad that's combines watermelon, watercress and mint with a few extras such as cucumber, ginger and feta cheese. The recipe first appeared in Epicurious. I've adapted it slightly to better suit the tastes of my family. The completed salad is chilled and tossed with a lime based dressing just before serving. It is lovely and I think it will please everyone at your table.

Watermelon and Watercress Salad with Ginger...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled seedless watermelon
1 large bunch watercress, thick stems trimmed (about 2 cups packed)
1 cup 1/2-inch pieces peeled seeded cucumber (about 1/2 large)
4 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
3 to 4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Preparation:
1) Whisk vinegar, oil, ginger, lime peel, and garlic in large bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2) Add watermelon, watercress, cucumber, green onions and mint to bowl; toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates. Sprinkle each salad with a portion of feta. Yield: 4 servings.

I'm sending this over to Kim at The Ungourmet for my first entry into BSI (Blogger Secret Ingredient). It's also going to Debbie at Mountain Breaths for her Kick-Off to Summer BBQ event.