Watermelon Fever: Recipes & Pairings for Summer
It’s no secret we are obsessed with watermelon this time of year (have you met Wally yet?). Inspired by our Watermelon + Mint + Chili summer seasonal and our new Booch cocktails, we created a few food pairings starring summer’s quintessential fruit.
Watermelon Salsa
Vibrant in color and taste, this app or side pairs well with our Harmless Heat tequila-based cocktail.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest (from about 1 lime)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
1 tsp. sugar
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups seeded and finely diced red watermelon
1 cup seeded and finely diced yellow watermelon (optional)
1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
8 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Mix the lime juice, zest, sugar, and pepper together. Toss over watermelon, jalapeño, cilantro, and mint. Season with salt. Serve chilled with tortilla chips.
Watermelon + Mint + Chili Jam Flatbread
Combining the three flavors that bring our summer seasonal to life, this jammy flatbread is full of flavor. Pair it with our simple, cucumber-forward Mis Melon drink!
For the Jam:
Ingredients:
4 cups puréed watermelon, strained
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups white sugar
1-3 tsp. red chili flakes (depending on desired spice)
3 tbsp (1 package) powdered pectin (labeled as "low sugar" or "no sugar needed”)
Instructions:
Put pureed and strained watermelon juice, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, and red chili flakes in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Immediately sprinkle in the pectin while whisking to dissolve while avoiding clumping. Return the watermelon jam to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 20 minutes. It can be bubbling during this time, stir every couple minutes. Pour the jam into a jar or heat proof container. Allow the jam to cool before placing in the refrigerator to completely set.
For the Flatbread:
Take favorite pre-made flatbread (or gluten free pita): Add garlic powder then top with shredded gouda cheese* and top with thin slices of zucchini and red onion, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F until cheese is melted and begins to brown on the edges and zucchini and onion begin to cook. Then add a couple scoops of the watermelon chili jam and put back in the oven to melt the jam so it is spreadable (2-3 minutes). Remove from the oven and top with chunks of goat cheese mixed with mint, freshly sliced mint leaves and fresh arugula.
*For vegan option, use vegan mozzarella.
Mint + Chili + Green Pea Fritters with Pickled Watermelon Rind
Serve these amazing bite-sized wonders with our smokey, earthy Sweet Heat cocktail at your next summer gathering.
For the Fritters:
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen peas
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1.5 cups chickpea flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Juice of 1/2 a lemon (1-2 tbsp.)
1 tsp. red chili flakes
2 tbsp. chopped mint
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook peas according to packet (few minutes in boiling water). In a pan, sauté onions in olive oil for about 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Once they begin to turn translucent add garlic and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. They should soften here and begin to brown. Add 1.75 cups of peas, onions, and garlic to a food processor and blend until smooth. Then add in the rest of the ingredients and blend to combine. Add in the 0.25 cup of peas and blend just to combine. Scoop and shape the pea mixture into patties (about 2 tbsp in size each) and place on a pre-greased cookie sheet. Spray the tops of the fritters with olive oil and then bake for 15-20 minutes flipping halfway through. I served with tzatziki sauce (for vegan option use tahini with lemon juice and garlic instead of yogurt), arugula, pickled watermelon rind, tomatoes, raw red onion on a gluten free pita.
For the Pickled Watermelon Rind:
Ingredients:
4 cups watermelon rind, cut into pieces, top skin layer removed
1½ cups water
1½ cups white vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp red chili flakes
5-10 mint leaves (optional)
4 garlic cloves (optional)
Instructions:
Put watermelon rind, water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add a few fresh mint leaves and 1-2 cloves of garlic to mason jars and put the watermelon rind and the cooking liquid into the jars. Let cool and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Check out the below cocktail and pairing posts from Team Booch!
Summer Cocktail Guide
Marg & Mexican Salsa Pairing
Fall Pairing Guide
Vibrant in color and taste, this app or side pairs well with our Harmless Heat tequila-based cocktail.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest (from about 1 lime)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
1 tsp. sugar
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups seeded and finely diced red watermelon
1 cup seeded and finely diced yellow watermelon (optional)
1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
8 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Mix the lime juice, zest, sugar, and pepper together. Toss over watermelon, jalapeño, cilantro, and mint. Season with salt. Serve chilled with tortilla chips.
Watermelon + Mint + Chili Jam Flatbread
Combining the three flavors that bring our summer seasonal to life, this jammy flatbread is full of flavor. Pair it with our simple, cucumber-forward Mis Melon drink!
For the Jam:
Ingredients:
4 cups puréed watermelon, strained
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups white sugar
1-3 tsp. red chili flakes (depending on desired spice)
3 tbsp (1 package) powdered pectin (labeled as "low sugar" or "no sugar needed”)
Instructions:
Put pureed and strained watermelon juice, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, and red chili flakes in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Immediately sprinkle in the pectin while whisking to dissolve while avoiding clumping. Return the watermelon jam to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 20 minutes. It can be bubbling during this time, stir every couple minutes. Pour the jam into a jar or heat proof container. Allow the jam to cool before placing in the refrigerator to completely set.
For the Flatbread:
Take favorite pre-made flatbread (or gluten free pita): Add garlic powder then top with shredded gouda cheese* and top with thin slices of zucchini and red onion, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F until cheese is melted and begins to brown on the edges and zucchini and onion begin to cook. Then add a couple scoops of the watermelon chili jam and put back in the oven to melt the jam so it is spreadable (2-3 minutes). Remove from the oven and top with chunks of goat cheese mixed with mint, freshly sliced mint leaves and fresh arugula.
*For vegan option, use vegan mozzarella.
Mint + Chili + Green Pea Fritters with Pickled Watermelon Rind
Serve these amazing bite-sized wonders with our smokey, earthy Sweet Heat cocktail at your next summer gathering.
For the Fritters:
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen peas
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1.5 cups chickpea flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Juice of 1/2 a lemon (1-2 tbsp.)
1 tsp. red chili flakes
2 tbsp. chopped mint
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook peas according to packet (few minutes in boiling water). In a pan, sauté onions in olive oil for about 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Once they begin to turn translucent add garlic and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. They should soften here and begin to brown. Add 1.75 cups of peas, onions, and garlic to a food processor and blend until smooth. Then add in the rest of the ingredients and blend to combine. Add in the 0.25 cup of peas and blend just to combine. Scoop and shape the pea mixture into patties (about 2 tbsp in size each) and place on a pre-greased cookie sheet. Spray the tops of the fritters with olive oil and then bake for 15-20 minutes flipping halfway through. I served with tzatziki sauce (for vegan option use tahini with lemon juice and garlic instead of yogurt), arugula, pickled watermelon rind, tomatoes, raw red onion on a gluten free pita.
For the Pickled Watermelon Rind:
Ingredients:
4 cups watermelon rind, cut into pieces, top skin layer removed
1½ cups water
1½ cups white vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp red chili flakes
5-10 mint leaves (optional)
4 garlic cloves (optional)
Instructions:
Put watermelon rind, water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add a few fresh mint leaves and 1-2 cloves of garlic to mason jars and put the watermelon rind and the cooking liquid into the jars. Let cool and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Check out the below cocktail and pairing posts from Team Booch!
Summer Cocktail Guide
Marg & Mexican Salsa Pairing
Fall Pairing Guide
