This recipe is from Preserving Italy, by Domenica Marchetti. There are a number of lovely recipes in here, and if you’re at all a fan of Italian cuisine, I highly recommend it.
I have edited the recipe slightly to improve on some wasted time, by inverting the “make the brine” and ”carve the melon balls” steps. Otherwise it is identical; ingredients, directions, and processing have not been changed.
Sweet, Sour, and Spicy Pickled Melon
Makes 3 pints
3 medium or 2 large ripe but firm melons, such as cantaloupe, honeydew, or canary, or a mix (about 6 lb / 2.7 kg total)
2 c vanilla sugar (or sugar)
1 c (237 g) water
¾ c (117 g) white wine vinegar
1/4 c (4 g) chopped fresh mint
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp crushed red chile pepper
Equipment:
3 sterilized 1-pint jars (not widemouth) and their lids (* note: since the recipe processes for 25 minutes, I do not believe you need to pre-sterilize the jars)
Basic water-bath canning equipment
1. Combine the water, sugar, vinegar, and mint in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and return it to the saucepan.
2. While the brine is steeping, using a melon baller, carve out 6 cups worth of melon balls and place them in a bowl. (Reserve any leftover melon for fruit salad or smoothies.)
3. Stir the salt and crushed red pepper into the strained brine, and bring the brine to a boil again over medium-high heat.
4. While the brine is heating, pack the melon balls into the jars, arranging them as tightly as you can without smooshing them. (Using jars with standard-size mouths rather than wide mouths will help keep the melon balls below the shoulders of the jar and prevent them from floating.) ( * Note: they still floated some for me post-canning but not too badly) Funnel the hot brine into the jars, leaving ½” headspace and making sure the melon balls are completely submerged. Use a bubble remover or clean chopstick to gently jostle the melon balls to help settle them.
5. Screw the lids on tightly and process for 25 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place and let cure for about 1 week before serving. The melon will keep for up to six months, though it will eventually lose its crisp texture. Store any jars that fail to seal properly in the refrigerator and enjoy those first.
I have edited the recipe slightly to improve on some wasted time, by inverting the “make the brine” and ”carve the melon balls” steps. Otherwise it is identical; ingredients, directions, and processing have not been changed.
Sweet, Sour, and Spicy Pickled Melon
Makes 3 pints
3 medium or 2 large ripe but firm melons, such as cantaloupe, honeydew, or canary, or a mix (about 6 lb / 2.7 kg total)
2 c vanilla sugar (or sugar)
1 c (237 g) water
¾ c (117 g) white wine vinegar
1/4 c (4 g) chopped fresh mint
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp crushed red chile pepper
Equipment:
3 sterilized 1-pint jars (not widemouth) and their lids (* note: since the recipe processes for 25 minutes, I do not believe you need to pre-sterilize the jars)
Basic water-bath canning equipment
1. Combine the water, sugar, vinegar, and mint in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and return it to the saucepan.
2. While the brine is steeping, using a melon baller, carve out 6 cups worth of melon balls and place them in a bowl. (Reserve any leftover melon for fruit salad or smoothies.)
3. Stir the salt and crushed red pepper into the strained brine, and bring the brine to a boil again over medium-high heat.
4. While the brine is heating, pack the melon balls into the jars, arranging them as tightly as you can without smooshing them. (Using jars with standard-size mouths rather than wide mouths will help keep the melon balls below the shoulders of the jar and prevent them from floating.) ( * Note: they still floated some for me post-canning but not too badly) Funnel the hot brine into the jars, leaving ½” headspace and making sure the melon balls are completely submerged. Use a bubble remover or clean chopstick to gently jostle the melon balls to help settle them.
5. Screw the lids on tightly and process for 25 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place and let cure for about 1 week before serving. The melon will keep for up to six months, though it will eventually lose its crisp texture. Store any jars that fail to seal properly in the refrigerator and enjoy those first.
And I plan to!!
I think if I do melons here, they’d better be short-season …
