Watermelon and cucumber saladWhen Joan at foodalogue announced September the Facebook Creative Cooking Crew challenge, “Pickle it!” I was more than ready to take part.

Creative Cooking CrewI’ve been pickling corn salsa, cucumbers, onions and okra for months.

This week my CSA offered a Sugar Baby watermelon in the basket. One of the most pickled of all pickled Southern dishes is Pickled Watermelon Rind. No worries peeps, I took the Road Less Traveled.

I made Pickled Watermelon and Cucumber Salad.

Sometimes I’m amazed how a recipe comes together. It’s not rocket science of course, but rather a blend of situations, culinary tools, and a little imagination.

Melon scoop 002 (680x1024)After finding a Noodle shop “up north,” several months ago, I tweeted a Pad Thai lunch photo, then discovered Kelly at Just A Taste recently created  spicy Noodles with cucumber. Inspired by the concept of a recipe using thinly sliced cucumber strips, I had my base. Then over the weekend while shopping for antiques with my brother-yes, a treasure in itself, and no, he’s not gay! I found a wooden-handled melon ball scooper. Then I crushed dried coriander seeds I’d salvaged from my sun-scorched cilantro plant. Next up I needed something salty and in my fridge was thinly sliced award-wining prosciutto I’d scored from The Ham Lady a few weeks ago. I snipped a sprig or two of fresh wild mint from my woods and got vinegar, sugar and a few spices from my pantry to create my sweet, crunchy, lip-puckering, delicate salad.

Appetite required.

Pickled watermelon and cucumber saladPickled Watermelon and Cucumber Salad.

Cook’s notes: Pickling juice is a matter of taste. Ratios vary from house to house, grandmother to granddaughter, so what works for me may not work for you. I used white vinegar in this recipe only because I didn’t want to use up my expensive champagne or white wine vinegar’s (in the event of recipe-fail) and apple cider is too strong for the delicate flavors of watermelon and cucumber. I pickled my salad for one day. Any more, the vegetables and fruit would turn to mush.

Ready?

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • ½ cup sugar, plus a handful more
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ whole cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried, crushed coriander seeds
  • Dash of ground cloves
  • Sugar Baby Melon, cut and scooped
  • 1 large cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed (another use for the antique melon ball scoop) and sliced into thin ribbons
  • Several slices prosciutto, sliced into strips
  • Several sprigs fresh mint

Directions

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, cinnamon, coriander and ground cloves over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, about five to ten minutes. Remove from heat and cool while you prepare the watermelon and cucumber. Note: don’t boil the pickling water please, just melt the sugar.
  • Add the watermelon and cucumber to a caning jar, or a bowl if you don’t have a canning jar. Pack the watermelon and cucumber into the jar and pour the cooled pickling juice over the salad until it is covered by a half inch of so. Cover and refrigerate. If using a bowl, place a plate over the salad and press down, like a weight. Cover and refrigerate.
  • The next day, chill the salad plates ahead thirty minutes if you want to impress. And who doesn’t? Drain the cucumber ribbons and melon and  arrange artfully on the chilled plates. Drape a few strips of prosciutto over the pickled salad. Garnish with fresh mint. Serve immediately.
  • Crumbled feta cheese would be a nice addition to this salad. But not too much feta. You’ll want to savor the sweet, crunchy, salty, pickled flavors of this refreshing salad.
What are you pickling this summer?