watermelon + herbs
I love fresh herbs! When I lived in the south of France, I would infuse everything with fresh rosemary, thyme and oregano. And basil was obviously my herb of choice when I lived in Italy. Home made pesto is still one of my favorite summer time dishes. So as you can imagine, I have been loving all the herbs included in my weekly farm share. I pretty much add fresh herbs to most of my dishes - salads, stir fry, dips and now even juices! My preference is to either finely chop the herbs and add them to the juice or to add the herbs, let them infuse the juice and then strain them out. It really is a personal preference. If you opt to keep in the in the juice, make sure you chop them up very finely as otherwise they can get stuck at the back of your throat.
Here are some fun ideas to use watermelon and herbs.
Watermelon Juice and Micro Basil
Yes, you can juice a watermelon! Simply slice up your watermelon, cut off the rind and add to a juicer. If you don’t have a juicer, you can add the watermelon to a blender and then strain it (so you remove all the pulp). I simply chopped up some micro basil, added some ice and that’s it!
Watermelon juice and micro basil
Watermelon, Strawberry and Mint
For this juice, I simply juiced some strawberries and watermelon and then added finely chopped mint. The mint has a tendency to stick in your throat so it might be better to infuse the juice with the mint for 15 minutes and then strained it out.
Watermelon, strawberry and mint juice
Spicy Watermelon Mojito Popsicles
I found this recipe in Naturally Nourished by Sarah Britton. It is great either as a popsicle or as a juice! If you are making popsicles, you just need popsicle molds.
Makes 10 ice pops
Ingredients
21/4 pounds (1kg) of seedless watermelon flesh
1/2 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
2 pinches of cayenne, as desired
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or raw honey, plus more for the molds
3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, plus more for the molds
Creating the Magic
Cut the watermelon into chunks, remove the rind, and place the flesh in a blender. Blend on a medium-low speed until the mixture is liquefied. Strain the juice through a sieve into a jug with a spout and press the pulp to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the pulp. (Or if you have a juicer, you can juice the watermelon instead).
Return the juice to the blender and add the lime juice, cayenne, maple syrup, and mint leaves. Blend just enough to chop the mint. Do not go for too long or you’ll change the color of the juice. Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes to infuse the juice with the mint. You should end up with at least three 3 cups (750ml) of liquid.
Brush a little maple syrup on one side of the remaining mint leaves and press them to the inside of the ice pop molds - it helps to use a chopstick. Use 2 to 3 leaves per a mold. (This is purely for aesthetics, so if you’re pressed for time, skip this step).
Carefully pour a portion of the juice mixture into each mold, insert the top of the mold, and set the molds in the freezer for at least three hours. To remove the pops from the molds, run the molds under warm water for a few seconds until the pops release.
Note: Instead of making ice pops, you can make a juice. Simply add ice and enjoy or a touch of sparkling water for a refreshing summer drink!
