Savory Watermelons

“I ain’t had a good watermelon since I left the country.” For twenty summers, my grandmother Esther, a Louisiana native, has reminded me that I have never tasted a good watermelon. Every year we try many melons and discuss our findings. Some are ok, but none are ever great to my grandmother. What was so different about the watermelons of her youth?

“They were just so good.” “My dad sure did know when to pick ‘em.” “He never cut one that wasn’t ripe.”

In 2008, I enjoyed sweet watermelon in New York’s Hudson Valley that surely would have impressed my grandmother. Aside from the delicious bright yellow, orange and pink watermelons I devoured that summer, most other watermelons I have eaten were absolutely full of water but void of taste. Hence my usual inclination to reach for a squeeze of lime juice, salt and cayenne pepper on the juicy cubes to liven up the eating experience. How can some watermelons be so much more flavorful than others?

According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, about 50 watermelon varieties are widely grown across the USA and throughout the world about 1900 types are known. Watermelons grow well in sandy soil according to the NWPB. Since watermelons need plenty of water, sandy soil allows for good drainage.

Surely there are watermelon farmers today that grow their fruit in sandy nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium rich soil, with lots of sunlight and plenty of rain and available water. But do these conditions alone ensure flavor?

Watermelons that rank low on the sweet index should not be thrown into the compost pile or discarded as outcasts. Rather than be assessed for their sweetness alone, watermelons may have other flavor properties. This summer’s crops from Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland have a gentle sweetness and a mild sodium flavor-- much more akin to that of the beefstake tomato. This season, instead of appreciating them for sweetness alone, watermelons can join tomatoes, onions and garlic in raw salsas and other sauces.

Nutritionally, watermelons and tomatoes both contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant said to aid in cancer prevention. Watermelons contain a bit more than tomatoes.

Rather than be saddened by my grandmother’s stories of sugary sweet watermelons of the past, I believe my generation and those to come may embrace watermelon in preparations beside fruit salad. Savory applications like refreshing cold gazpacho soup, pico de gallo salsa or barbeque sauce might be good uses of watermelons this season. The options are as extensive as our creativity.

At my house, watermelon was the primary ingredient in our sofrito this month. Try this sauce on enchiladas or dress sautéed shrimp in watermelon sofrito with a splash of lime for a delicious summer taco filling.

Summer sofrito

Yield: 1 quart

Olive oil 3 Tbsp

Onions, medium dice 1 ea

Garlic, minced 2 cloves

Watermelon cubes 2 cups

Tomatoes, beefstake, diced 1 ea

Sweet pepper, red, roasted 1 ea

Cilantro leaves, chopped 2 Tbsp

Cumin, ground 1 tsp

Salt ½ tsp

Cayenne pepper ½ tsp

Ginger, ground 1 tsp

1. Sweat the onions over medium heat until they become translucent. Avoid browning the onions.

2. Add the garlic to the translucent onions. When you begin to smell the garlic cooking, add the tomatoes and turn the burner to high heat. When the tomatoes to begin to simmer, turn of the flame and place the contents in the blender. Add the additional ingredients to the blender. Blend to a smooth consistency.

Serving suggestion: Use this sofrito in rice dishes or soak corn tortillas in the warm sauce before rolling the meat, cheese or vegetables filling for enchiladas.

Photo below: Enchiladas, purple cabbage slaw, turmeric coconut rice