Recipes

This recipe was invented by none other than Svea Herstarr Pierson, when on a  hot summer week in Southern California the Pierson’s came together and got a dud honeydew melon.  Svea stepped up for the picky Pierson palette and with the  un-wasteful gene embedded in her, created these healthy, simple and totally delicious, not to mention gorgeous popsicles!  These are also amazing ice cubes for sparkling water and grapefruit soda as Ivin proved!

The beet honey syrup was a last minute idea added by Nissa who was making pickled beets in the kitchen at the same time and used the beet peels to make a pretty syrup for the coloring!

Makes 9-12 popsicles

Ingredients

½ honey dew melon, cold and cubed small
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 3 limes
Beet Honey Syrup*, chilled

Directions

In a blender combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds or ice cube trays, freeze and enjoy!

*Beet Honey Syrup- combine  raw beet peels from 1-2 beets with ¾ cup water and ¼ cup honey and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat  to simmer for about 5 minutes.  Take off the heat and cool completely. Strain and refrigerate!

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts, boneless skinless
Salt/pepper
2 medium peaches, pitted and chopped fine
1 medium Pepino melon, seeds removed, peeled and chopped fine (1 cup chopped honeydew melon can be substituted)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons jalapeño or serrano pepper, chopped fine
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons avocado oil or canola oil
1 tablespoon peach preserves
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo sauce, mashed

Directions

Pound the chicken breasts in between two sheets of plastic or in a zip lock bag with meat hammer until about ½ inch thick and consistently even. Cut into small triangle or similar shapes about 3-4 inches in circumference. Season with salt & pepper. Preheat you grill or an oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl combine peaches, bell peppers, jalapeños, and cilantro and toss together. Let stand at room temperature while the chicken cooks. Place chicken on greased grill for a few minutes on each side or in the oven for about 5-10 minutes flipping once time. Serve the chicken paillards with the salsa spooned over the top.

Serves 6-9

Ingredients

1 heirloom melon, deseeded, peeled and sliced into small wedges
18-20 slices of prosciutto
Lemon thyme drizzle (recipe follows)
Maldon salt

Directions

Wrap the prosciutto slices around the melon slices tightly and drizzle with a small amount of the lemon thyme syrup.

Lemon Thyme Drizzle

Ingredients

¼ cup water
1 cup honey
4 tablespoon fresh lemon thyme leaves

Directions

In a small sauce pan heat honey and lemon thyme leaves on simmer for about 5 minutes until warm and honey has been infused with lemon thyme.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 cups crenshaw melon, cubed in 1 inch cubes and frozen solid overnight (or other melon)
1 cup simple syrup (infused with basil a plus)
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped fine

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and icy. Be careful not to over blend as the frozen honey dew will melt quickly. Make sure you chop the basil fine before placing in blender to avoid needing to over blend. Serve immediately, garnish with a basil leaf.

Makes 1 soda

Ingredients

Herbal melon ice cubes
Juice of 1 lime
2 ounces basil lime syrup
Soda water
Melon ball ice cubes

Directions

Squeeze the juice of 1 lime into a large glass filled with herbal melon ice cubes. Place 2 ounces of the basil lime syrup inside and fill with soda water and stir. Add more syrup for added sweetness. Garnish with a basil leaf.

Basil Lime Syrup

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon lime zest
Juice of 3 limes
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
½ cup fresh basil leaves

Directions

Combine the lime zest, lime juice, sugar, water and basil leaves in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for about five minutes. Take off heat, cool and strain.

Herbal Melon Ice Cubes

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups melon of choice
½ cup basil lime syrup
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped fine

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in cube trays and freeze.

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

Directions

Make black tea and allow to cool. Allow to cool in the refrigerator. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Add the tapioca pearls (make 2 cups for a batch to make 8-10 drinks). They will fall to the bottom of the pot. Allow to boil about 20 minutes. Take off heat and allow to rest covered for about 15 more minutes. Pearls should float when finished cooking. Place the pearls in a metal bowl and pour a little of melon puree and mix, just enough that they don’t stick together. Place in the refrigerator and cool. To make the bubble tea, in a shaker filled with crushed ice, place ¼ cup puree, ¼ cup strong black tea, ¼ cup coconut milk and shake vigorously. Pour the mixture into a glass and add tapioca pearls and stir.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Directions

Pound the chicken breasts in between two sheets of plastic or in a zip lock bag with a meat hammer until about ½ inch thick and consistently even. Cut into small triangle or similar shapes about 3-4 inches in circumference. Season with salt & pepper. Preheat your grill or an oven to 325° F. In a medium bowl combine peaches, bell peppers, jalapenos, and cilantro and toss together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice, zest, avocado oil, peach preserves and chipotles until a smooth sauce is formed. Season with a pinch or two of salt and pour over peach mixture and toss together. Let stand at room temperature while the chicken cooks. Place chicken on greased grill for a few minutes on each side or in the oven for about 10-5 minutes flipping once time. Serve the chicken paillards with the salsa spooned over the top.

Makes 1 pitcher

Ingredients

1 cup honeydew melon, balled
1 cup cantaloupe, balled
½ cup galia melon, balled
½ cup basil, chopped
½ cup mint, chopped
¼ cup honey
Juice and zest of one lemon, lime and orange
2 bottles cava or an effervescent white wine

Directions

Muddle basil, mint, honey, zest and juice and combine with wine and melons. Let stand in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until cold before serving.

Makes 20 Bites

INGREDIENTS

Lime marmalade, recipe below
10 each prosciutto slices, sliced thin and cut in half
½ cup cilantro leaves
1 ripe honeydew melon, skin removed, sliced in 2 to 3” long slices

PREPARATION

To assemble, spread ½ teaspoon lime marmalade over the prosciutto and place a few cilantro leaves on top, followed by a slice of melon and then wrap the prosciutto around the melon.
Serve immediately.

Lime Marmalade

INGREDIENTS

2 limes
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

Zest limes and set aside.
Remove and discard the white part (pith) of the lime and segment into supremes or just the lime “meat”.
In a heavy bottom saucepan, bring the lime zest, sugar, water, lime “meat,” and salt to a boil.
Let boil on a low rolling boil for about 20 minutes or until reduced by half.
Take off heat and allow to cool to room temperature (it will thicken as it cools).

Serves 6

Ingredients

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Take 1 cup of mixture and blend in the food processor or blender pulsing untl semi smooth. Put liquid back into mixing bowl and stir well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with melon balls and herbs.

Alternatively grind up with a mortar and pestle until desired consistency. Chill before serving.

Makes 3 cups

Perfect alternative for tomato salsa, offering a cooling sweeter flavor!

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup honeydew, cut into tiny cubes
¾ cup cantaloupe, cut into tiny cubes
¾ cup watermelon, cut into tiny cubes
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch of salt

PREPARATION

Place the fruit in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.  In a small mixing bowl add the herbs, lime zest and juice, honey and salt and whisk together until all the honey has dissolved.  Pour the mixture over the fruit and gently toss.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1  medium galia melon, deseeded and cut into tiny cubes
2 cups frozen red grapes, quartered (cut before freezing)
¼ cup fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup citrus champagne vinegar
¼ cup almond oil
Pinch of salt
Cracked black pepper

PREPARATION

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Take 1 cup of mixture and blend in the food processor or blender pulsing until semi smooth.  Pour liquid back into mixing bowl and stir well.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. 

Alternatively grind up with a mortal and pestle until desired consistency.  Chill before serving.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup balled honeydew melon
1 cup balled cantaloupe cubed
½ cup balled galia melon
1/2 cup basil chopped
½ cup mint chopped
¼ cup honey
juice and zest of one lemon, lime and orange
2 bottles cava or an effervescent white wine

PREPARATION

Muddle basil, mint, honey, zest and juice and combine with wine and melons. Let stand in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until cold before serving.