I’ve got creative ideas for using melons in late summer cooking:

1.  The Italian Way

According to The Silver Spoon (the self-proclaimed bible of authentic Italian cooking), prosciutto and melon is “truly the best-loved antipasto among Italians.” This combination of sweet, perfumed melon and salty cured ham is very popular in the United States. Serve it on the porch with a glass of prosecco for a casual but elegant appetizer. If you want to kick it up a notch, The Silver Spoon includes a recipe for Spicy Bundles. Prosciutto is spread with ricotta, provolone, and paprika, then rolled up and secured with a toothpick. The bundles are served on a platter with melon balls and seasoned with fresh cracked pepper. In A Platter of Figs, David Tanis arranges figs, melon slices, and prosciutto on a platter garnished with mint leaves.

2.  Drinky Drink

I love the way the Canal House ladies describe melons: “a big juicy orb of sweet, perfumed rainwater.” In Volume No. 1, they combined puréed melon with simple syrup then serve this “melon water” in a glass topped with a shot of white rum, a squeeze of lime, and a sprig of mint. Lovely. I also like the idea from Bon Appétit (August) for Watermelon Sugar, a pitcher cocktail (easy) made with muddled watermelon, lime juice, simple syrup, and jalapeño infused smoky tequila (mezcal).

3.  Pickled Watermelon

After you’ve made melon water from Canal House Volume No. 1, why not use their recipe for pickling the rinds? Their sweet and sour pickle is flavored with cinnamon, clove, and star anise. No waste! In Canning For a New Generation, Liana Krissoff shares a recipe for Extra-Crisp Watermelon Rind Pickles that throws ginger into the mix.

4.  Summer Salad

The September issue of Food & Wine magazine features a gorgeous article “Art of Summer Cooking”, where the best ingredients are showcased on beautifully crafted tableware. The recipe for Thai Chicken and Watermelon Salad is light, fresh, and will definitely wake up your palate. Watermelon is cut into rounds, plated with grilled chicken, and garnished with cilantro and mint. The salad dressing delivers a punch with Thai chiles, garlic, brown sugar, lime juice, and Asian fish sauce.

5.  Melon Soup, but more Awesome

The August issue of Bon Appétit includes the article, “The Michelin Garden” which showcases the farm to table food from David Kinch (Manresa restaurant) in California. His obsession with terroir and showcasing the best of seasonal ingredients lead to the creation of Cool Melon Soup. Most recipes for melon soup are made with uncooked melons, but Chef David Kinch has figured out that cooking the melon to 150 degrees gives the soup more complex flavor. The cooked melon is puréed and garnished with white soy sauce infused tofu and almonds. Awesome.

6.  Melon Sandwich

I’m intrigued by Gordan Ramsey’s recipe for Pata Negra, Melon & Mozzarella Focaccia in his book, Fast Food. He layers sliced cantaloupe or Charentais melon with mozzarella, pata negra ham, and basil atop focaccia with a drizzle of olive oil. Nice.

7.  Melon Jam

I knew I could rely on the Blue Chair Jam Cookbook for a melon jam recipe. For her French inspired recipe, Rachel Saunders writes that “a tender peachy-fleshed variety of muskmelon is best.” It’s a two day process, but capturing the heady floral sweetness of a perfectly ripe melon is your prize. This elegant jam would be lovely spread over a tart or a piece of toast.

8.  Frozen Dessert

Making a watermelon granita couldn’t be simpler. The Produce Bible suggests combining puréed watermelon with simple syrup and freezing the mixture in a shallow pan. Stir every hour or so to distribute the ice crystals, add some chopped mint, and enjoy! Mario Batali includes a recipe for Cantaloupe Sorbetto that looks luscious in his book, Molto Gusto. Cantaloupe juice, simple syrup, lemon and a pinch of salt are frozen in an ice cream maker for a soft and creamy sorbet. So refreshing in these last hot days of summer.

9.  Grilled Watermelon

What? Yes, grilled watermelon. I found a recipe for Grilled Watermelon & Grilled Manouri in Michael Psilakis’ book, How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking. He writes that Manouri is “a unique, semi-soft Greek cheese” that can be substituted with good Greek feta. Chef Michael Psilakis cuts both the cheese and watermelon in pie-shaped wedges, brushes them with olive oil, and gills them until charred on both sides. The watermelon and cheese are served with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic, then sprinkled with sea salt, mint and dill. You can grill watermelon, people!

10. Melons in Salsa

The juicy texture and sweet, floral taste of melons goes nicely in a spicy salsa. Try making your own unique version with diced melon, something spicy like jalapeño, red onion, lime juice and fresh herbs. Serve melon salsa with grilled chicken fajitas or seafood tacos.

What’s your favorite way to use melons? Let me know in the comments section. Click here.