Melons are gifts from the sun; they turn its rays into pure sugar.
Melons are believed to have originated in Africa during prehistoric times, then traveled to India and up through Asia. The first ones were cultivated in Egypt in 4000 B.C.; Chinese records indicate they were being grown on farms in 1000 B.C.
The melon’s flesh is the ovary wall of the plant, and the seeds are massed in the center. Although melons appear on the market under a variety of names, and even botanists sometimes disagree about groupings, melons can be said to fall into three basic subfamilies: the musk, the cantaloupe and the winter melon.
The muskmelon is oval or almost round with a netlike, veined rind, sometimes with ridges. In the United States, it is often mistakenly called a cantaloupe. The flesh ranges from green to yellow to pink to orange in color. The ripe fruit will separate completely from the stem.
The true cantaloupe has a rind that is fairly smooth to scaly, sometimes ridged but never netted. The flesh ranges from green to yellow in color. When the melon is ripe, the fruit stem is cut from the main plant and remains attached to the cantaloupe.
The winter melon–so called because of its better keeping qualities–is oblong with a smooth or slightly ribbed rind. The flesh is green to yellow in color. These melons are the best for shipping. Many of them are savory, though the sweet ones, such as crenshaw, casaba, honeydew and Santa Claus, are better known.
The watermelon doesn’t fit into the true melon family. Its fruit is the placenta tissue of the plant, and its seeds are dispersed throughout the flesh–quite different from typical melons.
Melons have no starch reserves before complete ripening takes place, so a melon will never be any sweeter than it is at the moment it is picked. The flesh will soften at room temperature and release more moisture, which is commonly associated with ripening.
A melon has few calories; 90 percent of its content is water. An average 4-ounce serving contains only 30 calories, which–combined with its moist, refreshing qualities–makes it perfect for light summer eating.
Picking a perfect melon can be tricky. The melon should feel heavy and have a soft, pleasant fragrance. The stem end should be moist and yield slightly under the pressure of your thumb.
Although most people think of melons as a dessert, they are also terrific served as an appetizer with prosciutto ham or even as a spicy, cool summer soup.
Melons are great pureed to release all their sweet flavor into a soup without cooking. Simply puree and strain.
For savory seasonings, look to the Asian culinary theater. Try preserved ginger, a little subtle garlic, chilies, rice wine vinegar, lime juice and other spices. Season delicately so as not to overpower the melon flavor.
Garnishes for the soup add interest. Natural combinations are shrimp, crab, avocado, papaya, tomatoes and green onions.
CHILLED MELON AND CRAB SOUP WITH GINGER AND LIME
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1 large ripe muskmelon or cantaloupe, trimmed of rind and seeds, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 1 quart)
1/4 cup preserved stem ginger with its juice, see note
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons mild Chinese chili-garlic paste, or to taste, see note
Salt to taste
8 ounces cleaned lump crab meat
1 ripe avocado, peeled, seed removed, diced
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced tops of green onions, cut thinly at an angle
1. In large blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine melon, ginger and lime juice, pureeing until smooth. Add chili-garlic paste to taste, mixing well. (See note.) Adjust seasonings if necessary with a pinch of salt. Strain through a coarse sieve into a bowl. Cover and chill.
2. Divide the crab, avocado and bell pepper among four chilled rimmed soup plates. Place them in a small mound in the center of each plate. Top the mound with green onion slices. Ladle the soup around the garnishes.
Note: Preserved stem ginger and Chinese chili paste–also called chili-garlic paste–are available in the Asian section of large grocery stores and in specialty markets. Chili pastes vary greatly in strength; taste carefully before adding to the soup.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 240 Fat ………… 13 g Cholesterol .. 80 mg
Sodium …… 490 mg Carbohydrates .. 25 g Protein ……. 11 g
