The melon is still the king of summer, even though the watermelon has eaten up ground in recent years. We already know that to choose the best one should not get too complicated, just bet on melons seasonal, national, in trusted establishments and choosing the variety that we like the most. Once at home, all we have to do is open it and cut it as we please, and that is the question that we are going to deal with next.
We tend to insist that fruits and vegetables do not come with an instruction manual there is no single method ultimate magic to peel and cut them. In the world of melon, moreover, we have so many different varieties and options to taste it that it would be ridiculous to single out one technique.
Yes, we are going to select the most common cutting and presentation methods, simple and versatileadapted to different types of this fruit, so that beginners can get the most out of it without wasting even one gram more than necessary.
Also as always, we remember the importance of having a good set of knives, sharp and with the right size. To handle large and medium melons we recommend one carving type or specialized in vegetables and fruits, with long leaves and not too wide, being able to add a smaller one to the repertoire peelervery well sharpened, as well as a spoon and, optionally, a ball punch.
In addition, we will need a suitable, large, firm and stable work table, better if it has grooves on its perimeter to collect the juices, and it is convenient to have a couple of bowls or sources nearby to separate the skin and the seeds.
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Arcos Maitre, Carving Knife, Nitrum Stainless Steel 220 mm, Black Polypropylene Handle
How to cut and serve a Piel de Sapo melon
When the melon is big and longer, we can start cutting the ends for a better presentation and easier handling, since this way we will have a stable surface to support it vertically and work with less risk of accidents.
Next, a straight longitudinal cut must be made from one end to the other, penetrating to its central heart. We can do it by supporting the fruit on one side or, as we have mentioned, placing it vertically to achieve more stability. In this case it is almost essential to use a long knife.
With the first cut ready, we can go taking slices or slices, through more cuts parallel to the first, extracting the pieces with their skin and seeds. Those seeds are easily removed by scraping with a spoon, or, if we want a cleaner finish, cutting all that part through a clean line with a smaller knife, type lace.
Another possibility is to make the first complete cut, dividing the piece in two halves, if it is more comfortable for us to remove the cracks seeing the inside of the fruit, and thus better control the angle and thickness. This shape is more recommended on smaller melons.
If we have opened the melon in two it may be more practical to remove directly all seeds of each half fruit with the spoon, before dividing into portions. This way we can also get rid of the excess juice before continuing to work.
The melon slices can be distributed directly with their skin to eat them by mouthfuls as if they were ears of corn without using plates or more tools; It is only recommended if we are outdoors, without a shirt or with good napkins, and in an informal environment.
To take it more comfortably, the usual thing is cut the shell flush of the pulp, trying not to waste the fruit but not rushing it either, since the greenest part is unpleasant, fibrous and more bitter. The knife blade should slide easily with almost no effort.
To serve the whole slices, the rind is usually left attached at one end; In this way, each portion of fruit is presented on top of it on the plate or fountain and tasting is facilitated, as it serves as a grip. It will be finer if we cut the piece into cubes and present them slightly separated in opposite directions.
In the event that we seek to cut whole melon in cubes to take it in a container, use in another recipe or serve in a large dish, we can make the cuts of the cubes first and then pass the knife to separate them from the crust.
Another form of presentation to share and that diners do not have to use cutlery, is to cut the cubes of each slice without separating the bark. We can leave them more or less thick and more or less wide, but the idea is to keep the crust so that it serves as a holding area, and thus eat each piece directly in bites, discarding that skin at the end, as if they were wedges of cheese.
How to cut and serve a cantaloupe melon
A cantaloupe or galia melon, or any other variety round and smallallows you to take out pieces in a similar way to the toad skin, even more easily, but it also offers to play more with the way of preparing it.
When the specimen is comfortable to handle due to its size, we can separate the skin before open it, starting at the ends to maintain stability. With a good chef’s or greengrocer’s knife, you just have to cut the peel in vertical, parallel, longitudinal movements to the piece.
Then all that remains is to cut it in half, extract the seeds with a spoon large and cut the pieces to taste; in slices or slices more or less fine and clean, cubes, etc. Being smaller we can even take the slices in the opposite direction, perpendicular.
Other ways to present the melon
The nice rounded shape of the melons, with the advantage that the seeds accumulate in the center and can be removed all at once, allows you to play with different cuts and more showy presentations, thanks also to its soft but firm pulp.
The spheres or balls with a ball scooper or drainer They are well known, almost a somewhat old-fashioned presentation due to their popularity in the most elegant cocktails and parties of the 50s and 60s, but they do not go out of style. You need a small scoop and make a movement similar to scooping out a scoop of ice cream.
Rounded melons are a blank canvas for the most crafty; we can cut them in two perpendicularly, take out the seeds and outline the edge with a jagged shape or triangles, with a paring knife. So we can use it as a container, taking balls from its own interior and adding other fruits.
Seaweed slices, without rind, can be skewered on skewers to eat without cutlery, and the largest triangles or cubes, keeping the crust, allow inserting a pole end as if they were ice cream or lollipops, ideal for children. If it’s really hot, in fact, you can to freeze like this, and even after bathing in melted chocolate.
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Images | iStock – Unsplash – Pixabay – Marco Verch (CC 2.0)
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