Unripe Melon Pickles

firm, but not fully ripe cantaloupes or honeydew melon, about 2 pounds each
1 quart cold water
4 tablespoons salt
11/2 cups cider vinegar
4 cups sugar
3 sticks cinnamon, 2 inches long
1 tablespoon whole cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
21/2 cups boiling water
Halve the cantaloupes. Remove seeds, peel and cut into 1-inch squares. Mix cold water and salt. Pour over melon and allow to stand for 3 hours. Drain. Combine vinegar, sugar and spices with boiling water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cantaloupe with slotted spoon. Boil the syrup for 10 minutes. Add melon and simmer 40 to 50 minutes or until melon is transparent. Pour mixture into hot, boiled pint jars with 2-piece screw tops, filling to within 1/8-inch of top. Wipe rims of jars carefully and cover with lids. Put on screw bands and tighten as much as possible. Place jars in a large kettle and add enough boiling water to cover jars by 1 inch Boil 10 minutes. Cool on rack. Makes 4 pints. This recipe may be doubled.
Doris Reynolds is the author of “When Peacocks Were Roasted and Mullet Was Fried” and “Let’s Talk Food.” They are available for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News. Also available for sale is a 4-part DVD, “A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds.” For comments and information regarding today’s column, contact Doris Reynolds at foodlvr25@aol.com

Cantaloupe with Black Pepper, Oil, & Vinegar

Recipe from the cookbook The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Lynne says, "A melon salad is not a typical opening to a meal in Italy. I certainly didn't expect it when I Stayed at Le Frise, a guest farm in the mountains of northern Lombardy. . . Emma dresses chunks of melon with black pepper, vinegar and olive oil. She presents the melon on a bed of pale green curly endive and snips dark green chives over the salad at the last moment. Few things taste better with fresh goat cheese."

Half of a 2 1/2 to 3 pound ripe cantaloupe, seeds removed
Several pale green leaves from the center of a head of curly endive or other salad greens
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives or scallion tops
With a melon baller, scoop out 1-inch balls from the melon and place into a medium bowl. Line an 8-inch white serving plate with the endive greens.
Sprinkle the melon with salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss with the olive oil, then the wine vinegar. Spoon onto greens, scatter the chives over the melon, and serve.

Watermelon & Cantaloupe Salad with Basil & Mint

from the Food Network

• 1/2 watermelon
• 1 cantaloupe, (or other melon) cut in half, seeded
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint leaves plus whole sprigs, for garnish
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves plus whole sprigs, for garnish
• 1 lemon juiced (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup simple syrup (equal amounts sugar and water heated until sugar dissolves, cool)
• 1/8 teaspoon amaretto
  
  Scoop 2 cups each from the watermelon and the cantaloupe using a melon baller. Carve the remainder of the watermelon out and reserve shell.
  Add to a blender the chopped mint, chopped basil, lemon juice, simple syrup and amaretto. Blend until smooth. Add the watermelon and cantaloupe balls to the carved out watermelon half. Add the vinaigrette to the balls and toss to combine. Garnish with the mint and basil sprigs and taste.