Cut and carve, watermelon fun - recipes - The Good Foods of Summer: A Special Section

Nothing refreshes like the cool, succulent juiciness of chilled ripe watermelon; it revives flagging spirits even in the toughest hot weather.

Enjoy crisp-fleshed watermelon icy cold and plain, or try these simple low-fat serving suggestions. Use big, red-fleshed melons with black seeds or try the smaller, almost seedless varieties with red or yellow flesh, and cut with a flourish to make these dishes.

When you shop, it's easier to check the quality of a cut melon: look for firm flesh and rich color. When buying a whole melon, search for one with a symmetrical shape, dull surface, and an underside that has a creamy or yellowish tinge.

Chicken and Watermelon with Herbs
    2 pounds boned and skinned chicken
      breast, rinsed and patted dry
 1 1/3 cups orange juice
    1 teaspoon ground coriander
    1 piece (about 21/2 lb.) seedless or
      seed-in watermelon
    1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
    1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
    1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh or
      dry mint
    1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
      or 1 teaspoon dry dill weed
    1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh
      cilantro (coriander)
    1 tablespoon balsamic or red wine
      vinegar
      Salt and pepper

Cut chicken into 1 1/2-inch cubes. In a bowl, mix chicken with 1/2 cup orange juice and coriander. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 2 hours. Thread chicken equally onto 6 to 8 thin skewers.

Cut watermelon flesh free from rind; then cut flesh into 1-inch cubes. Impale cubes equally on 6 to 8 thin skewers. Mix remaining orange juice, orange peel, garlic, mint, dill, cilantro, and vinegar. Pour into a small serving bowl.

Cook chicken on a grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of hot coals (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds) until meat is white in thickest part (cut to test), 10 to 14 minutes; turn to brown evenly. Accompany chicken and watermelon with orange herb sauce to pour over both. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Per serving. 769 cal; 27 g protein; 7.7 g ft; 70 g carbo.; 76 9 sodium; 66 mg chol

  Watermelon, Jicama, and Chili Salt
      4  seedless or seed-in watermelon
         wedges (each about 3 in. wide and
         9 in. long), 4 to 5 pounds total
      1  small whole or 1 piece (about 1 1/4
         lb.) jicama, peeled and rinsed
         Chili salt (recipe follows)
      1  lemon, cut into quarters

Slide a short, sharp knife between rind and flesh of watermelon wedges to free flesh, but keep flesh in place. Cut through melon to the rind at 1 1/2-inch intervals.

Cut jicama in 1/4-inch-thick slices that are about 2 by 3 inches. Insert jicama slices in melon slits. Sprinkle chili salt and squeeze lemon juice on melon to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving.- 135 cal; 3.6 g protein; 7.4 g fat; 37 g carbo.; 73 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Chili salt. Mix 1/2 teaspoon each salt cayenne. Makes 1 teaspoon.

Per 1/4 teaspoon: 0.7 cal; 0 g protein; 0 9 fat; 0. 7 g carbo.; 275 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Watermelon Blossoms with
Basil Vinegar
    1 piece (4 to 4 1/2 lb.) seedless or
      seed-in watermelon
    1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar (or 3
      tablespoons cider vinegar plus
      2 tablespoons water)
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2
      teaspoons dry basil
    2 teaspoons honey

With a melon baller, cut watermelon flesh into balls to make about 4 cups; set aside or cover and chill up to 6 hours. Cut remaining flesh from shell; reserve for another use.

Cut shell into 4 to 6 ovals (roughly 2 by 4 in.). With a small, sharp knife, cut ovals into leaf shapes. Make thin, wedged cuts in skin side to incise leaf veins (the white rind beneath the green skin makes a distinctive pattern). If made ahead, cover and chill up to 6 hours.

Arrange 1/4 of the fruit and 1 or 2 shell leaves on each of 4 dinner plates. Mix vinegar, basil, and honey; spoon over fruit to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving. 90 cal.; 1.6 g protein; 1 g fat; 21 g carbo.; 5.3 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

COPYRIGHT 1990 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group