Ouzo Spritz With Pickled Watermelon Rind Recipes

SWEET-AND-SPICY PICKLED WATERMELON RIND

Steps:

• Trim the green skin off 1/4 small watermelon. Remove all but 1/4 inch red fruit from the rind; cut the rind into 1/2-inch pieces. Pack into a 1-quart jar. Combine 3/4 cup each apple cider vinegar and water, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour over the rind; let cool. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 1 week.

PICKLED WATERMELON AND WATERMELON RIND

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt and 4 cups water over medium heat. Bring up to a boil. Place the coriander and peppercorns on a cutting board. Lightly crush the spices with the bottom of a sturdy pan, then add them to the liquid. Turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. It should be a mix of vinegary, sweet and slightly salty. Shut it off to cool slightly.
• Fill a quart-size jar with the watermelon cubes and a pint-size jar with the rind pieces.
• Pour the vinegar mixture over the melon and rind and let it cool at room temperature, uncovered, for 2 hours. Place in the refrigerator and let it chill, uncovered, overnight. Then cover tightly. The pickles will be good for 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

PICKLED WATERMELON RINDS

Steps:

• Combine 6 cups of water with the salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the watermelon rinds and boil until slightly tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set the rinds aside.
• Combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard seeds, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, cinnamon and ginger with 1 cup water in a small pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, add the rinds and cook for 10 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a pickling jar or a releasable glass container. Store in the refrigerator.

PICKLED WATERMELON RINDS

Steps:

• Cut the watermelon flesh from the rind, leaving only a 1/4-inch layer of pink flesh on the rind. (Reserve the flesh for another purpose.) Cut the green outer skin from the rind and discard; cut the rind into 1-by-2-inch pieces. Combine the vinegar, sugar, allspice, salt, black and Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, ginger and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring regularly, until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 5 minutes. Add the watermelon rinds and bring the mixture back to a boil, placing a heavy object such as a heat-proof plate on top to keep the rinds submerged. Reduce the heat and simmer until the rinds are tender when pierced with a fork, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
• Transfer to airtight containers and cover. Refrigerate at least overnight before serving. The pickled watermelon rinds can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

PICKLED WATERMELON RINDS

Steps:

• In a glass bowl, stir together the water and salt until the salt has dissolved. Add the watermelon rinds and any additional water needed to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
• Drain the watermelon rinds from the salted water, and place into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Cover with fresh water, then place over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil rinds for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, tie the cloves, mustard seed, and cinnamon sticks in a piece of cheesecloth. Place into a large saucepan or Dutch oven along with the vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Stir in the drained watermelon rind, then return to the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until the rind is transparent and the syrup is slightly thickened, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove and discard the spices after 40 minutes. Stir in the food coloring if desired.
• Ladle into hot sterilized 1 pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Seal jars with new lids and rings, making sure you have cleaned the jar's rims of any residue. Process jars under 1 inch of water in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Let cool overnight, then press down on the lids to make sure they are sealed before storing. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and enjoy those first.

WATERMELON BBQ SAUCE AND PICKLED WATERMELON RINDS

Steps:

• Use a Y-shaped peeler to remove the outer green part of the watermelon. Scoop out the pink flesh and place in a blender (you should have about 1 pound 2 ounces); set the rind aside.
• Blend the watermelon flesh in a blender until it becomes juice. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan. (The amount of juice you have will vary depending on the watermelon.) You will need 2 cups of juice in the saucepan; transfer any excess to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week and save for another use.
• Add the ketchup, Dijon, Worcestershire, molasses, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/4 cup of the light brown sugar, 1/4 cup of the vinegar, juice of 1 lime and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper to the saucepan and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced by a quarter, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the salt, lime zest, juice of the remaining lime, and the remaining 1/4 cup each light brown sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Cut the rind into 2-by-1/4-inch sticks; transfer to the small saucepan with the brine and stir to combine. Add the ice cubes (and stir until the ice has melted. Let sit for 5 minutes to quickly pickle. Drain the pickled rinds and transfer to a serving bowl.