Watermelon Rind Pickled in Thai Spices

My kitchen is my laboratory and dream factory.  The question that runs through my mind while preparing, chopping, sorting, seasoning and at all times: What else can I do with that?

I absolutely love watermelon.  I add it to salads, in cold gazpacho, sliced with a drizzle of balsamic and juiced.  But, those rinds take up a lot of this fruit, right?  So, of course I'm always saving them for the answer to the question, what else can I do with that?

Pickling is a fun and easy go-to for so many vegetables and fruits.  That's what I decided to do with this batch.  Then the next step is deciding the seasoning.  Since Thai food is a delicate balance of all flavors (sweet, spicy, hot, sour, bitter), I gave it a try.

What a crunchy, spicy side dish to meat, sandwiches and cheese platters this created.  It goes into my "yeah, that works" kitchen file.  Hope you get the chance to try it, too.

 

 

Recipe: Watermelon Rind Pickled in Thai Spices - ShowFood Chef
 
4 cups Chopped Watermelon Rind (green and red removed)
1/4 cup salt
1 quart water

In a large bowl, stir the salt in the water to dissolve, then add the rind to this brine. Place another plate or bowl on top to hold the rinds submerged. Place in refrigerator for 8 hours or over-nite.

Drain, rinse the rinds well and drain again.

4 cups water
2 cups cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Thai spices (including paprika, turmeric, black pepper, coriander, fenugreek, mustard, cumin, cayenne and ginger)
Zest of one lime
1 tsp lime juice

In a large pot, bring these ingredients to a boil, then add the rinds. Simmer for 45 minutes until the rinds are translucent.
Pour rinds and liquid into prepared jars, close lids and refrigerate or use hot water bath method for 10 minutes for keeping pickles outside of the refrigerator for months.

ShowFood Chef~

Persimmon & Dried Cherries w/ Brandy Conserve

For the past year I have been a part of a very fun and challenging monthly posting called TigressCanJam. This month's product to use was Dried Fruit, and it may have been one of my favorites.

Fuyu Persimmon & Dried Cherries w/Brandy

I fell in love (okay, maybe even obsessed) with Fuyu Persimmons a while back when I made a Persimmon Rum Raisin Bread Pudding. What can I tell ya, I'm a sucker for a misunderstood fruit (don't even go there.)

To a lot of people, the Persimmon means that oddly orange colored tomato-size thing that supposed to turn your mouth inside-out if you eat it before it's ripe. But, that is only half the story - meaning the other half is that there are TWO kinds of persimmons and the FUYU doesn't fool-you.The Fuyu can be eaten while it's firm (sliced in salads, baked in breads and muffins, made into jam, eaten raw like an apple), AND when it's soft (baked in puddings, ice cream, candy, cheese and on meats.)
The other Persimmon (and I'm not saying that with an attitude, just a fact) is called the Hachiya. The Hachiya Persimmon can really make the inside of your cheeks squeek if you eat it too soon, but if you wait until it's as soft as pudding, it tastes like a pear and a pumpkin got together and made butter. The FUYU (my fav) looks like a little pin cushion with the dark orange glow of a winter sunset. Then, when you cook these babies down with a little sugar, throw in some dried (oh, yes - oh, yes) CHERRIES - then (hold me back) a good glug of BRANDY; How could you not want to eat this by the spoonful right out of the jar? Yeah, so...maybe that's what I did - I'm not saying.
RECIPE: Persimmon & Dried Cherries with Brandy Conserve
(inspired by Ball Preserving)

5 cups (2.8 lbs) Fuyu Persimmons (peeled and chopped)
2/3 cup (4oz.) Dried Cherries
5 cups (1 lb 14oz) Sugar
3 Tbls. Lemon Juice
2 packets of Liquid natural pectin
1/4 cup Brandy

1) In a large sauce pan bring the persimmons, cherries, sugar and lemon juice to a slow simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often. This will break down the persimmons just a bit and dissolve the sugar.

2) Turn the heat up and bring to a rolling boil for 3 minutes, then stir in the 2 packets of pectin.

3) Return to boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat and quickly skim, then pour in the Brandy and stir well.

4) Pour into hot, sterilized jars, seal and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

5) Remove and cool for 24 hours, undisturbed.

Conserve is less jelled than jams or jellies and makes great toppings for pancakes, crepes, meats and on cheese plates.

A huge Thank You to Tigress Can/Jam and her creative ideas and talented work.

Thank you guys for stopping by and I know you "can", so let me know when you do. :D