Leather Storrs: Melons Make it All Better

Friday, August 28, 2015

Leather Storrs, GolocalPDX Contributor

Many years ago a savvy and calloused food writer gave me some priceless advice: “When you’re up against the wall, blocked and gasping for words, go Martha.” I tilted my head both to signify curiosity and to avoid the debris. She coughed, spat and took a long pull on a Pall Mall before continuing: “Pick a fruit or vegetable that’s second tier but has colorful cousins. Lavish it with purple prose. Lament its omission from the A-list then offer some recipes. Take a picture of some kid eating it. Cash the check (cough, cough).”

Melons are tough to sell at dinner, unless you wrap them in ham. I’m not sure why exactly, because a sun-ripe fresh melon captures the hot and heady quality of late summer better than tomatoes, peppers and eggplants combined. A half-moon of ice cold watermelon brings a literal and figurative smile to burnt, sweaty faces. A heavy, sticky wedge of “Charentais” announces itself to your nose long before the complex flesh dances in your mouth, alternating impossibly between honey and carrion. Melon season is a short, bittersweet goodbye to summer. Grab them. Go crazy. Experiment.

No hard and fast recipes here, just a few examples of the elasticity of melons and their ability to play well with savory ingredients.

Watermelon, Fennel, Basil, Sesame Seeds and Feta Cheese

Chop ½ a watermelon into attractive hunks and remove overt seeds without destroying the melon. Slice a bulb of fennel very thinly and toss the strands with the juice of 2 lemons. Toast 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds in a slow oven until they’re golden. Crumble 8 ounces of feta cheese. Slice one scallion (green and white) and 10 leaves of basil thinly and add it to the fennel. Arrange the melon Stonehenge style. Season the melon with salt and drizzle a little olive oil on it. Toss and season the fennel mixture with salt and pepper and drape it over the melon. Crumble feta over the fennel, drizzle with the sesame seeds and a little more olive oil. Put some pretty basil on it. Marvel.

Grilled Melon Soup with Hot pepper relish

A very hot grill will mark and char melons, giving them a sturdy, savory backbone. Peel, seed, quarter and char a couple pale skinned melons. Cook 2 onions and 2 tablespoons of chopped ginger with a cup of water, a glug of olive oil, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, a pinch of smoked paprika (pimenton) and a teaspoon of salt. Cook until the water is evaporated and the onion is very soft. Puree the melon and onion mixture until it is smooth. Adjust seasoning and brighten with acid (lime juice and white wine vinegar would be my acid addition). Chill. To make pepper relish, dice and coin a colorful mix of little hot peppers. Don’t use all hot chilis, you’re aiming for contrast rather than combustion. Mince a shallot and toss it with the juice of a lime, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Allow the shallot to soak in the acid bath for 20 minutes before folding in the peppers. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Plop a little relish into the center of the chilled melon soup, drizzle over some fancy olive oil and cilantro if you’re into that sort of thing.

Melon, Cucumber, Onion, Thai Basil, Cilantro & Mint

I like to do a quick marinade of fish sauce, sriracha, garlic, ginger and brown sugar on thin cut beef ribs or pork shoulder steaks. A shiny, crisp salad is the perfect complement to the dark, sticky char.

Dice 2 different melons, slice 3 cukes and a red onion (keep the sliced onion in a bowl of ice water to knock down the hot and stink). Roughly tear enough basil, cilantro and mint to make 2 cups of herbs. Make a loose dressing from the juice of 2 limes, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sriracha and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Drain the onion and toss everything together except for 1/2 cup of herbs for the top. Let the salad percolate for at least an hour in the fridge. Toss it a couple times and adjust the seasoning. Lift the salad from its juice into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the remaining herbs over the top.

Imagine well-dressed children in pale, sporty ensembles frolicking and devouring these dishes with silverware and without soiling their clothes.

Related Slideshow: Top 5 Backpacking Foods You Never Knew You Needed

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5. Wakame Seaweed

With only a bit of water, a few grams of dried seaweed blossoms into a nutrient-rich forest. Vegan, gluten free, rich in calcium, iron and folate, and it only weighs in at 1.6 oz per half cup. Throw a tablespoon of wakame into ramen noodle soups. Wakame seaweed can also be soaked in room temperature water for a refreshing salad. Add a package of tuna and some almonds from your trail mix for a satisfying lunch.

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4. Salami

Although relatively heavy, salami is worth packing along for its versatility. Salami can be cubed and fried in pasta or rice dishes, sliced thinly for sandwiches, or just chomp a hunk off with your teeth while beating your chest savagely. Unlike fresh deli meats or even Spam, it can last for days unrefrigerated.

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3. Crystallized Eggs

Forget the powdered variety, which when mixed with water omits a vague odor similar to cat pee. Thanks to food scientists, we can now purchase crystallized eggs to stir into soups, boiled with instant rice, or turned into scrambled eggs for a protein rich breakfast. Go for the ‘Ova Easy’ brand. At $54.99 for a 2.25 lb can it is not cheap, but the can lasts for 5 years on the shelf and the superior taste is worth it.

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2. Spice Wheel

A must for elevating bland, high-carb backpacking foods. Personalize by choosing which spices you want in the wheel’s 6-8 compartments. After your fourth meal of pasta, you’ll be thankful you can choose curry or cumin to keep your tongue happy. Spice wheels are widely available for less than four bucks and make great gifts for your outdoorsy friends and family.

Photo credit: camperpartsworld.com

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A Plastic Mug With a Lid

Okay, okay, so it’s not a food, but one lidded cup replaces a bowl, plate and drinking cup while on the trail. Cups can store your coffee and tea in the morning and your apricot cashew couscous in the evening. Purchase ones with screw-on lids double as tupperware for transporting leftovers. Some brands are clear plastic with measurements on the side for easy camp cooking. We love GSI Outdoors ‘Fairshare’ Mug, starting at $8.75 each.

Photo: GSI Outdoors Fairshare Mug via rei.com