North African Preserved Watermelon Chutney
Servings
8
PortionsDon’t even think about throwing away that watermelon rind! Chef Rebecca Peizer from The Culinary Institute of America shows us a creative and delicious North African-inspired Preserved Watermelon Chutney with cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and preserved lemon. Serve the chutney with proteins like pork, on a cheese board, or in a sandwich.
Ingredients
2 lbs Watermelon rind, peeled
1 bunch Cilantro leaves and stems
1 bunch Mint leaves
2 Tbsp Salt
1 cup White vinegar
1 cup Water
1 cup Sugar
1 ea Cinnamon stick
4 ea Garlic cloves, smashed
1 piece Ginger, 1” piece, smashed
1 ea Preserved lemon, rind only, ¼” dice
½ tsp Cumin seeds, ground
½ tsp Caraway seeds, ground
1 ea Red Fresno chile, seeded, 1/8th “dice
Directions
- Cut watermelon rinds into ½ inch dice.
- Mince the cilantro stems and set aside, saving the leaves for later use.
- Boil salt, vinegar, water, sugar, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, and cilantro stems for 5 minutes. Strain.
- Place watermelon rind in the boiling mixture and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool.
- Add the preserved lemon, Fresno chile, cumin and caraway. Mix to combine.
- Weigh down and refrigerate overnight.
- Rough chop the cilantro and the mint leaves, and set aside.
- Drain excess liquid away, mix together with the chopped mint and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
North African Preserved Watermelon Chutney
Notes
- Serve this chutney with a protein, in a sandwich, or on a cheese plate.