August 2024 – Melons

Cantaloupe & Ice Cream

Gloria Dougherty, Akron

“This is a simple recipe, but delicious!”

• cantaloupe
• vanilla ice cream

Cut a cantaloupe slice and put vanilla ice cream in the middle. Enjoy!

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Cantaloupe Chiffon Pie

Wanda Lyman, Denver

“A very delicious, light dessert for the summer.”

• 9” pie crust, baked
• 1 small cantaloupe
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup milk
• 3 eggs, separated
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• yellow & red food coloring, optional
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Cut cantaloupe in half; discard seeds. With melon baller, cut 7 or 8 melon balls; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for garnish later.

Cut remaining cantaloupe into bite-sized chunks. In a covered blender container at medium speed, blend cantaloupe and lemon juice to make 2 cups of puree. Set aside.

In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, using a whisk, mix well the milk, egg yolks, salt and 1/4 cup sugar; sprinkle gelatin evenly over mixture. Cook over low heat (do not boil), until gelatin is completely dissolved and mixture is thickened and coats the spoon, about 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in cantaloupe puree. Add food coloring if using (color will become lighter when egg whites and whipping cream are added).

Refrigerate until mixture mounds when dropped from a spoon, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Beating at high speed, gradually sprinkle in 1/2 cup sugar, beating until sugar is completely dissolved (whites should stand in stiff, glossy peaks). Set aside.

In a bowl, add heavy whipping cream and beat until stiff peaks form. With a whisk of rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream and cantaloupe mixture into the beaten egg whites.

Spoon mixture into the baked crust. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.

To serve, arrange the reserved cantaloupe balls on top with a mint sprig beside each one.

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Watermelon Sorbet

Stephanie Trowbridge, Stevens

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• 8 cups cubed seedless watermelon
• 12 oz. can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

In a large saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly.

In batches, process the sugar syrup and watermelon in a food processor or blender. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in pink lemonade concentrate.

Fill the cylinder of an ice cream freezer 2/3 full. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Allow to ripen in the ice cream freezer or firm up in the refrigerator freezer for 2 to 4 hours.

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Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Caprese

Stephanie Trowbridge, Stevens

• 1 cantaloupe, halved and seeded
• ¾ lb. bite size fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• ¹/₃ lb. thinly sliced prosciutto
• ¼ cup torn basil leaves
• balsamic glaze

With a large melon baller, scoop melon into a large bowl. Add mozzarella balls, olive oil and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Arrange prosciutto along edges of a large serving platter.

Stir basil into melon mixture. Transfer to the center of the platter, drizzle with balsamic and serve.

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Watermelon Cooler

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 2 cups lemonade
• 3 cups seedless watermelon, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup crushed ice

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients. Cover and process until smooth.

Pour into chilled glasses.

Notes: Makes 3 to 4 glasses. You may want to double the recipe. If you would like, for adults, add a splash of tequila.

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Cantaloupe Soup (Cold)

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 1 large cantaloupe (about 3 lbs.)
• 4½ cups unsweetened orange juice (divided)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon allspice

Cut the cantaloupe in half and remove the seeds. Peel and cut the fruit into 1” cubes.

Combine half of the cantaloupe and 1/2 cup of orange juice in a blender container and process until the mixture is smooth. Repeat the process with the other half of the cantaloupe and an additional 1/2 cup of orange juice.

Combine all the cantaloupe mixture, the remaining orange juice, lemon juice, ginger and allspice. Blend well.

Cover and chill thoroughly.

If you would like, garnish with mint leaves.

Makes 6 cups.

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Melon Ring with Honey Coconut Dressing

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 3 oz. package orange flavored gelatin
• 3 oz. package lemon flavored gelatin
• 1½ cups orange juice
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1½ cups cold water
• 3 cups mixed melon balls (watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe)
• additional melon balls for garnish

Combine gelatin, orange juice and lemon juice in a saucepan. Heat to boiling over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cold water and continue stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

Chill until slightly thickened, then stir in melon balls. Pour into lightly oiled 6½ cup ring mold. Chill until firm.

Unmold and fill center with additional melon balls. Serve with honey-coconut dressing.

Honey-Coconut Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup sour cream

Combine all dressing ingredients and blend well. Chill and serve on fruit salads.

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Melon Fruit Cocktail

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 1 cup melon balls
• 1 cup drained pineapple chunks
• 1 cup orange sections
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 1 cup strawberries, whole or sliced
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

Combine fruit. Blend. Blend lemon juice and sugar. Spoon over fruit and chill.

If desired, garnish with mint leaves.

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Watermelon Slush

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 12 oz. can frozen fruit punch concentrate
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 6 cups seeded watermelon cubes
• 2 liter bottle lemon-lime soda or ginger ale

Combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil gently, uncovered, for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in fruit punch until it dissolves.

Combine half of the lemon juice and half of the melon cubes in a blender. Blend until smooth. Repeat with the other half.

Stir melon mixture into the fruit punch mixture. Mix and pour into a freezer container. Cover and freeze at least 8 hours.

To serve, scrape with a spoon to form slush. Fill cups at least half full with slush. Slowly pour in soda until cups are filled.

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Cantaloupe Jam Crostini

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

Jam:

• 1 cantaloupe (enough for 8 cups, cubed)
• 2 cups sugar
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• pinch of salt

Crostini:

• 1 baguette, cut into 18 pieces
• 1½ cups ricotta cheese
• flakey sea salt

Prepare the melon by peeling and cutting into cubes. Place in a large pot with the sugar and lemon juice. Cook at a solid slow simmer/boil until mixture has thickened and has a shiny sheen, about 30 minutes. The jam will continue to thicken as it cools.

Spread the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler until lightly toasted. Flip the slices and repeat, watching carefully so that they do not burn.

Divide the ricotta on top of the bread slices, followed by a tablespoon of the jam. Finish with a sprinkling of sea salt and serve.

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Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cups diced watermelon
• 1 cucumber, seeded and diced
• ¼ cup mint, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• juice of ½ lemon
• chopped cashews
• goat cheese, crumbled

Soak the red onion in cold water for a few minutes. Pat the watermelon dry. Toss together the watermelon, cucumber and mint. Drain the onion and squeeze dry. Add to the salad along with the cashews.

Whisk olive oil and lemon juice and add to salad. Top with the crumbled goat cheese.