Melon

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melonThe Egyptians brought its fragrant and sweet fruits as a gift to the gods about three thousand years ago. But even today, its juicy slices take the throne place on our autumn table. And if you try hard, then at the spring one too. In general, following the historical truth, it would be more correct to call the melon "mataji": this is how they respectfully refer to the woman, the founder of the genus in India - the homeland of most varieties of wonderful fruit known now. Melon appeared in Europe in the Middle Ages. It was considered an exquisite delicacy at the court of Louis VIII. This is probably why the melo (this is also the name of this fruit of either the pumpkin family or the nightshade) is known as "caprice": it requires a special approach in choosing both food and preparation.

How to choose?

Of course, the beautiful melon loses in many ways, if she has not properly "browned" her cheeks, has not gained enough sunlight and warmth. Only ripe melon is juicy, sweet and aromatic. How can you "calculate" it?

First of all, for its strong aroma: unripe melon almost does not smell. Also, on the tail - in a ripe melon, it is usually "fleshy" and thick. Thirdly, by the softness of the crust - in a mature fruit, when pressed with a finger, it "gives in" slightly, and in a green one it is hard. Fourthly, by the "sound" - if you knock on a ripe melon, then it will "respond" with a dull sound. Fifthly, along the subcutaneous layer - if a green peel appears when the top layer is scraped off with a nail, it means that you can eat the melon with pleasure. And if you have already cut the fruit and found dried seeds inside, then you will not taste the juicy pulp either.

Fruits, depending on the variety, can be spherical, oblong, elongated (like a cucumber) and even serpentine. Their length ranges from forty-five centimeters to two meters, and sometimes their mass reaches twenty kilograms. The varieties are not equally sweet and tender. Each variety has its own fans. For example, cantaloupe (Persian, cantaloupe) has a light musk aroma. This melon has small fruits, with a soft skin covered with a net or simply smooth "skin", round or divided into longitudinal sectors. Its pulp has a characteristic rich orange color (the brighter its color, the more carotene it contains) and a delicate sweetish-tart taste.

Ripe honeydew melon has the most delicate creamy or white flesh; closer to the skin it turns into a pale green color. Its fruits are elongated, and the skin with ribs is bright yellow, the mesh on it is rare. The pulp is very juicy and aromatic. It is considered the most nutritious of melons and the richest in vitamins.

And, finally, the melon Galia, known to us under the name "collective farmer", is a small yellow-orange "ball" with a smooth skin. Its fruits are very sweet and fragrant, the flesh is white, thin, tender and very tasty.

melonAs it is?

The melon is good fresh. It can be stored well and, with proper care, can last (unripe fruits are perfectly preserved in a suspended state at a temperature of about zero degrees, in a relatively humid room) until the next harvest.

Melon makes excellent fruit desserts with cream, and some gourmets appreciate the bouquet of juicy pulp combined with the taste of meat or ham... The pulp of sunny fruits is canned, pickled, and jams are made from it. The melon peel also goes into action - it turns out a little bitter taste candied fruit... The melon is often dried. To do this, it is cut in half, peeled from seeds and peels, and then slices up to four centimeters thick are separated and dried in an oven heated to a temperature of 70-75 C or in the sun. Melon dried fruits are stored in a cool place for a very long time and are good for tea with a bite, they are added to muesli, cereals, desserts, ice cream and pies.

But melon is not always possible and not for everyone. For example, you should not enjoy it on an empty stomach and after a hearty meal, but rather in between meals. You should not drink it with cold water, fermented milk products and alcohol - otherwise you cannot avoid indigestion. Suffering from gastritis, gastric ulcer and 12 duodenal ulcer, as well as nursing mothers (the baby may have an uncontrolled stomach upset), melon should not be carried away at all.

As for melon etiquette, they absorb this juicy delicacy like this: hold a slice slightly with a fork, and make cuts in the pulp in several places with a sharp knife blade; then, separate from the crust with a knife, send small pieces into the mouth with a fork. Small melons are divided into halves and quarters, the seeds are removed and the pulp is eaten with a special fruit spoon.

How is it treated?

Yes Yes! In addition to its gastronomic advantages, melon also has the ability to heal. Moreover, the more ripe it is, the higher its healing properties. Its pulp contains a lot of carotene and vitamin C, delicate fiber, folic acid, sugars and iron. Traditional medicine recommends it for exhaustion, anemia, and also as an antihelminthic agent. You will forget about digestive problems, especially with constipation, if you regularly (at least during the season) eat a small melon a day. Melon is especially famous for its "talent" to "cleanse" the liver and kidneys, possessing choleretic and diuretic properties. This is an excellent remedy for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis. And the seeds do not need to be thrown away - they say, masculine strength is hidden in them (it is enough to use (chew) them up to five times a day so that the spleen does not suffer, honey must be added to the "chewing gum"); in crushed form, they are used for masks for youthful acne. Melon juice is an excellent cosmetic product, it relieves irritation, helps fight skin pigmentation.

Melon with Parma ham

This dish takes only five minutes to prepare. But on the other hand, it will undoubtedly decorate your table and give pleasure with an unexpected combination of taste. For 4 persons you will need:

2 very ripe melons;

8 ultra-thin slices of Parma ham (actually, it can be any good ham or tender meat),

4 mint leaves (optional);

pepper and salt to your liking.

Cut the melons into quarters, remove the seeds and peel. Cut the melon pulp into thin slices and arrange in a fan on the plates. Season with salt and pepper as you wish and taste. For one serving, place 2 pieces of ham on one plate, garnish with a mint leaf. Keep the dish in the refrigerator until serving. In the fall, melon can be replaced with fresh figs.

Catherine


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