Pickled Watermelon Rind – from ‘The Modern Pantry’ by Anna Hansen
This is at the perfect recipe for storing all the essence of high Summer-brilliant with cheese or cold meat.
1kg Watermelon rind
Salt
Pickling Liquid
1kg white sugar
500ml water
500ml cider vinegar
i lemon thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp cloves
2 star anise
Scoop any flesh from the rind of the watermelon, leaving a thin pink layer. Place the rind in a bowl.
Make a brine by dissolving a level teaspoon of salt in each litre of water, making enough to cover all the rind.
Submerge the rind and leave it for 24 hours.
Drain the rind, and rinse under cold water. Simmer in a pan of fresh water until just tender.
Put the pickling ingredients in another large pan and bring to the boil. Stir to make sure the sugar dissolves.
Reduce the heat and add the watermelon rind.
Simmer until it looks candied – approx. 40 minutes.
Bottle in sterilised jars and store for a month before using.