Watermelon Strawberry Mint Salsa
1 cup diced watermelon (seeds removed)
¾ cup diced strawberries
¼ cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons diced seeded jalapeno chile
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to taste)
Gently stir together all ingredients in bowl. Let stand to blend flavors, about 1 hour. For a dynamite combination, serve salsa with Caribbean or jerk seasoned grilled items, or with pretzels.
Watermelon Glazed Mini Barbequed Meatballs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
24-36 frozen prepared mini meatballs
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce
1 cup watermelon puree*
Heat the oil in a large heavy sauté pan over medium high heat or electric skillet set on 325°. Sauté the mini meatballs until browned and hot. Reduce heat to low. Mix together the barbecue sauce and watermelon puree. Pour over the meatballs and simmer for a few minutes. Serve hot.
*To make the watermelon puree, remove seeds from fresh watermelon and cut into large chunks. Place in a blender and process until smooth and well pureed.
Serves 6 to 8.
Watermelon Feta Bruschetta
2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
2 cups diced watermelon
1 cup feta cheese, cut into fine dice
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 tablespoon minced fresh mint
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste
For 16 toasts:
A 24”-long loaf of crust Italian or French bread
1 garlic clove
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a bowl toss together watermelon, cheese, chives, mint, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste and mound about 1 tablespoon on oiled side of each toast.
To make toasts: Prepare grill or preheat broiler. With a serrated knife cut bread crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Arrange bread slices in one layer in a shallow baking pan and bake in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes.
Pulled Pork and Watermelon BBQ Sauce
4-5 pounds pork butt
24 ounces dark beer
2 cups BBQ sauce
2 cups minced seedless watermelon
Pressure cook or slow cook the pork butt in the beer until the meat is pull-apart tender (in a covered roaster all night in a 275 degree oven, or under pressure about 45-50 minutes or according to manufacturer's directions). Cool, trim and discard the fat from the meat. Chop the meat and re-heat. Warm the barbecue sauce and just before serving, stir in the watermelon.
Serves 8 to 12.
Watermelon Chipotle Maple-Glazed Wings
Watermelon Glaze
2 cups watermelon puree
Juice from 3 fresh lemons
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ cup maple syrup (can use light version)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, or to taste
Simmer ingredients together in a heavy saucepan for 20 minutes or until sauce is thick. Makes 2 cups. Keep warm.
Chicken
Chicken wings or drummettes
2 cups pineapple juice
½ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves minced fresh garlic
Place the chicken in a large zipper lock bag with rest of the ingredients and seal tightly. Allow to marinate at least 2 hours or up to 12. Grill until cooked and arrange on a warm platter. Pour the glaze over the chicken and serve immediately.
Creamy Watermelon Sherbet
5 cups watermelon puree (about 1 large watermelon)
1 ½ tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lime juice
Soften gelatin in ½ cup of the watermelon puree. Let stand 5 minutes at room temperature and then heat gently to dissolve gelatin. Cool slightly. Add remaining watermelon puree, sugar, nutmeg, lemon juice and milk to gelatin mixture. Freeze in ice cream freezer according to appliance directions.