Give Honeydew A Savory Twist By Pickling It

Crisp, sweet, tangy, pickled honeydew is going to be your new go-to for topping your pulled pork sandwiches, adding a little extra to your steaks hot off the grill, or as a delicious condiment for your next sandwich or burger. Cucumbers and beets are more of the traditional produce you probably seek out when you are making a classic bread and butter pickle or pickled beets, but melons, with their firm flesh, can pickle-up rather nicely. They tend to be on the sweet side, especially when they are in season, but there is also an earthy quality to them.

You will need to seed and cube your honeydew before you cut it up into cubes. Once you have it sliced and diced, in a pot, you will want to prep a bath consisting of white vinegar, salt, sugar, and a little sliced onions. Put your honeydew in the liquid and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Once it has cooled, you can serve it up. While you can store it for a day, if you hold onto it for much longer, you will discover it doesn't hold up as a leftover.  

The result is the perfect pull of sweet and tart for your taste buds. But, of course, you can spice things up a bit with a little shake of red pepper flakes, or go even spicier by adding some minced chilies. These fiery elements will add a lovely layer of heat that is sandwiched between the other extreme tastes, making for a memorable bite. You can also add some herbs to your pickling solution. Mint, marjoram, sweet Thai basil, and lemon zest will add their sweetness and brighten the flavor of your melon.

How can you incorporate your pickled honey dew into your recipes? Use it when building your next charcuterie board to cut through the delicious, creamy fatty cheeses and meats you love. It would taste delicious paired with a chevre or fromage blanc. Or add it to your Asian-inspired coleslaw, a crunchy bok choy salad, or to your colorful toasted sesame noodle salad.