Yes, you read that right – Melon Pudding…
Made with local melons from Walchli Farms in Hermiston, Oregon. They’re the largest melon grower in the Pacific Northwest – and I have to say, the absolute best melon I have ever tasted.
We heard about them from our friends, Bonnie and Nancy up in Washington. Their local farmer’s market up there carries them for a short time each season, and they were raving about how good they are. I found them at our local New Seasons Market and headed over there, yesterday morning. New Seasons is an upscale grocer and can be a bit expensive, for things – but not nearly as expensive as Whole Foods and with a much better and friendly staff – so I just picked up a few things before heading up the road to the local WinCo – much more pocketbook friendly.
The melons were on special in their weekly flyer and I get a 10% veteran discount on Tuesdays – so it was about $11.50 for 2 large melons – about 9 1/2 pounds, total. I put the melons in the car and headed up the road. 20 minutes later, I came out of WinCo and opened the door. I was immediately hit with the strongest melon scent, ever.
Back in my produce-buying days,, a good melon was instantly noticeable by the rich melon scent and a bit of give at the stem end. One doesn’t often find those characteristics in supermarket melons, anymore. For several years now, melons have been pretty hit-or-miss. Even when you’ve gotten a bit of a whiff of melon scent, they’ve often been mealy or just flat – lacking in that fruity summertime flavor. I knew these were not going to disappoint.
I added the rest of the groceries – mostly junk food since we’re doing a family camping trip this weekend over my Birthday – and drooled all the way home.
Into the house and the kitchen immediately lit up. These are some potent melons – and well worth the price.
The pudding recipe comes from a website called Jul’s Kitchen – Stories and Recipes from Tuscany. There are some fun recipes there – and I like her style.
Gelo di Melone – Sicilian Melon Pudding
adapted from Juls Kitchen
- 2 melons
- 80 g sugar
- 70 g corn starch
- 4 tablespoons elderflower syrup
Instructions
Cut the melon into wedges, remove the seeds, and then purée it in a blender. Pass it through a sieve placed over a bowl to eliminate the pulp. If you have a juicer, cut the melon into chunks and juice it, then pass the juice through a sieve into a bowl. You should get about 4 cups/1 lr of melon juice. Should you have any leftovers, save the juice for another use, or drink it cold with a squeeze of lime.
Add the sugar and the cornstarch to a saucepan.
Dilute them with 1 cup of melon juice. Add the rest of the melon juice and the elderflower syrup.
Bring it to a simmer on medium-low flame, stirring continuously. When you spot the first bubbles, cook for one more minute, then remove from the heat.
Pour the thickened melon juice into 4 1-cup pudding molds, or glasses, smooth the surface, and refrigerate until set.
I used a Ninja blender and did not have much pulp to strain – those suckers know how to blend!
And the final verdict is – it’s eating the melon in pudding form! Smooth, creamy, soft, rich, flavorful… I’m running out of superlatives! It was that good!
It’s a very easy recipe. You can use your favorite melon – and I highly recommend the Walchli if you can find it – or go for your favorite summer fruit. Just strain it to make it as pulp-free as possible. Obviously, the more fresh and ripe the fruit is, the better the flavor.
I see this as an annual summer treat.
Thanks, Bonnie and Nancy for the tip!
**edited to add: If you don’t have Elderflower Syrup, just omit it. Or, add 4 tablespoons of a light cordial or something that will compliment the fruit. Don’t not make it because of one simple ingredient.