Aujourd’hui, we celebrate watermelon! Today is 11 Fructidor in the French Republican Calendar, but Gentle Reader, it is January 13 in the Gregorian calendar. For this reason, I decided to celebrate watermelon by way of preserving it. I have made a version of Escoffier‘s Petits Melons Confits (recipe 1004). The recipe, in full:

Select very small melons picked a little while after their flowers have dropped off. Cover them with salt for 10-12 hours then wash them in a solution of two-thirds vinegar and one-third water.

Place in stoneware jars with the usual pickling spices and cover with either hot or cold vinegar – the hot should be used if the melons are required to be kept very green. They are ready for use in 7 – 8 days.

As you can see, the unripe-ness of the melon is its prized quality in this recipe. I’ve used a Bon Apetit recipe for pickled melon rind that updates the pickling ingredients in a delightfully spicy way, though I toned down the salt. I have eaten it so far on avocado toast and in a salad. It offers a salty/sweet/spicy tang.

Pickled Melon Rind 

1 small watermelon

1 chili (if dried, broken into pieces; if fresh, cut)

1 inch piece of ginger, sliced

2 star anise pods

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 cup sugar

1 cup rice vinegar

Peel the outer green rind from the melon and throw away. Slice the watermelon in half and then in quarters. Working with each quarter, slice away the flesh (save for eating later) and cut the remaining rind into 1 inch pieces.

Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil in a large pan. Add the rind while boiling and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove and let cool. When cooled, transfer to a mason jar and refrigerate. Enjoy!