Surprising delights starring watermelon, bananas

It’s watermelon season and those big, deliciously thirst-quenching beauties are a “must” at every gathering.

It was many years ago in Mexico City when I enjoyed watermelon juice in a decorated clay cup at a restaurant. It was pure and unadorned and I wondered why I hadn’t thought of such a thing. They used the melon in everything from salad to dessert, and today, I share a few of them with you to enhance your summer menu. Too, having just re-perused my Monet cookbook, I’m offering a couple of banana surprises as well. Enjoy!

Watermelon, Arugula & Pine Nut Salad

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt – or to taste

2 tablespoons fine olive oil

3 cups cubed (1/2-to-3/4-inch dice) watermelon, seeded and cut from rind

6 cups baby arugula or other light spring green, stemmed

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup crumbled feta, goat or ricotta cheese

Coarsely ground black pepper to taste

Whisk together dressing ingredients with salt and pour into a salad bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Add watermelon, greens, pine nuts and toss gently to coat, then sprinkle with cheese and pepper.

Tip: Another chef created a citrus dressing for this salad, which incorporated cider vinegar, and a tablespoon each of orange, lemon and lime juice, along with a drizzle of honey. Experiment on your own for other great taste sensations. I also add a sprinkle of chopped chives.

Our next recipe is great with grilled white fish such as tilapia or halibut.

Watermelon, Mint & Strawberry Salsa

1 cup diced, seeded watermelon

3/4 cup diced strawberries

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeno chili (be careful)!

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon cane sugar

Gently stir all ingredients together in bowl. Let stand to blend flavors, about 1 hour.

As to the watermelon “juice” I drank, I imagine you could easily liquefy melon cubes in a blender, but here’s another great idea.

Watermelon Granita in Lime Cups

12 limes (reserve 2 for juice)

1 cup cane sugar

2 cups water

4 cups watermelon cubes

Crushed ice (optional)

For cups: Cut limes in half and carefully remove fruit with a sharp knife, keeping peels intact. 

Juice two limes for 2 tablespoons of juice, saving remaining lime flesh for other uses. Stir together sugar and water in small saucepan; heat to boiling, cool slightly. 

Place watermelon in blender or food processor and pulse to puree. Place colander over bowl and pour pureed melon into colander to strain out seeds or strings, forcing watermelon through with back of spoon. Stir lime juice and cooled sugar mixture into pureed watermelon and pour into 13x9x2-inch pan. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

To serve, scrape frozen mixture to make granite; mound into lime cups and serve on bed of ice if desired.

Note: Obviously, you needn’t waste all those limes just for drama – but I’m honor-bound to print the recipe as given. You can, of course, use just 2 limes and serve in pretty sherbet or champagne cups – or in paper cones for the kids!

After reading the following recipe in the Monet cookbook, I reminisced about the Bananas Foster I enjoyed many years ago at fabled Brennan’s in New Orleans. Until then, I never realized that people actually cooked bananas!

Monet’s Baked Bananas (Bananes au Gratin)

(For 6)

6 bananas

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bananas in four lengthwise quarters. Arrange in a shallow buttered ovenproof dish. 

Combine confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and melted butter and pour half over the bananas. Bake for 20 minutes, basting with remaining sauce every five minutes. 

Serve hot or cold. Whipped cream would not be remiss here, or perhaps a dollop of vanilla ice cream!

A more current recipe, from South America, offers the richness of rum.

Dulce de Platanos

2 perfectly ripe bananas

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 tablespoons dark rum

1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk (well shaken)

1 cup cane sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

Cut ends from bananas and peel. Cut each diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices. In a large nonstick skillet heat butter over moderate heat until foam subsides; add bananas and cook, shaking occasionally, until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter with a slotted spatula, retaining butter in skillet.

In a small saucepan, heat rum and coconut milk until warm. Add sugar to reserved butter in skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until caramelized, about 5 minutes. 

Remove skillet from heat and carefully whisk in warm coconut milk mixture (mixture will steam and caramel will harden. Return to low heat, cooking and whisking until caramel is dissolved. Add bananas and cook without stirring until heated through and tender, about five minutes. (You may gently lift and fold pieces into sauce). 

In very small saucepan heat cream until warm and pour over bananas. Gently shake skillet to incorporate cream into sauce. Cool slightly and serve as is, or over ice cream or sponge cake pieces.

    Fresh watermelon, sweet strawberries, zesty lime and cooling mint combine in this colorful salsa, a bright summer topping that pairs perfectly with grilled fish.
  

    Cool and refreshing, this icy watermelon granita can be served in simple cups — or if you wish — in the leftover hollowed lime shells, creating a colorful and elegant summer treat perfect for hot days.
  

Editor’s note: For many years, Valle Novak wrote gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. Weekend Gardener and Country Chef became renowned for their humor, information and common-sense advice on everything from planting to cooking. She left behind many columns — such as this one — to delight her many fans.