New ‘dos for your honeydew

Are you melancholy over what to do with your watermelon? If you are tired of the same old melon balls or prosciutto pairing, there are worlds of possibilities beyond the these traditional dishes. Some alternate options for the fruit include soup and pasta, as Gail Monaghan from The Wall Street Journal explains.

While a bowl of fresh melon is wonderful in its own right, the flavors can be greatly enhanced. Says Monaghan “I’d missed out on so much by sticking to plain cubes or balls. Tossed with salt, pepper, sugar and/or citrus juices, that childish snack becomes a polished starter, main course, side dish or dessert. Add a generous spiking of gin, fortified wine, bubbly or fruit liqueur if you want to further steer things in an adult direction.” She also suggests making chilled melon soup to serve as a starter, or making a fruit salsa to serve in a pasta salad.

Over at The L.A. Times, Noelle Carter takes melon in a different direction: to the grill. That’s right, you can grill melon. If you haven’t tried it, Carter says that “it’s pretty amazing. Cut thick wedges from a watermelon (seedless — this isn’t meant to be sadistic), brush them with a little olive oil and grill the wedges until lightly toasted with defined grill marks on each side. Somehow the grilling enhances the flavors, concentrating them while muting the sweetness and adding a little smokiness.” Top with yogurt, a squirt of lime and a drizzle of honey for a unique treat. Carter has eight more recipes, including a curried cantaloupe slaw.

The EYB Library is also available for inspiration. Try one of these delicious recipes that make the most of your melon:

Gazpacho with honeydew & peppadew from Food52
Grilled cantaloupe with peach agrodolce from  Saveur Magazine  (pictured above)
Gnocchi cantaloupe feta salad from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
Grilled watermelon salad from The Grilling Book: The Definitive Guide from Bon Appétit
Iced melon soup with melon and mint sorbet from Delicious Magazine (UK)