Watermelon

I know it's fall, but the atypical, or new typical, weather we've been having means local watermelon will be in market along with the first pumpkins. (tomatoes with flavor are still rare, though) If this keeps up we could see Jack-o-melons and Father Christmas-lanterns. Watermelon, when presented as a salad, usually serves as cheap bulk, providing something to set the berry on. Even at the peak of its season, watermelon rarely ends up as more than a wedge in the corner of the plate. (putting a sprig of mint on it is tasty, but you know what I mean) Here is a salad, in the little of this, little of that, California style, that you can build on.

• Watermelon cubes
• Seeded cucumber
• Goat cheese
• Saba vinaigrette
• Mint

Notes: Size the cuts so that you can get a mix of ingredients on your spoon, but not so small that their texture becomes indistinguishable. The goat cheese provides tang and creaminess, but serves as a secondary note. Use the good stuff, but ramping up to an artisan brand is an expense that might be better spent when the cheese is the center of attention. Saba is specialty shop expensive. If you have an Italian neighborhood in your town, it might be more reasonably priced in some of the shops catering to the locals. If not, you can use a balsamic reduction. Again, use the middle tier vinegar. The subtleties that mark an excellent aged balsamic are volatiles that are lost in the reduction process. (but boy, does the kitchen smell good) Another approach might be to use pomegranate syrup. Change the cheese to a yogurt curd and you've bought the salad back to its Saharan roots. Mix and match, but leave the ingredient list short. The watermelon should be the predominant or center note in a watermelon salad.

Now we're left with the seeds and rinds. Waste not, want not...
• Collect the watermelon seeds and dry them out in a colander. Wash off and toss in a hot pan until almost roasted. Prep a cup of salt water and pour in. Stir until the water is gone and the salt coats the seeds. Eat like pumpkin seeds.
• Peel the green part off the rinds. Cube the remaining white part and soak in brine overnight. (3 cups rind, 1cup water, 3/4 T pickling salt) Rinse and cook in clear water until tender. Prepare a pickling liquid made of 1 tsp. whole cloves, 1 tsp. whole allspice, One 2″ piece of cinnamon stick, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup plus 2 T. granulated sugar. Cook the rind in the syrup for about 30 minutes and can or fridge. This recipe is from Lillian's Cupboard, and you can see photos of the process on her site.