Tag: melon

Mozzarella rolls with raw ham and melon: an explosion of contrasting flavours – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Contrasting flavors that combine, in this recipe, in a delicious and refreshing way. THE mozzarella rolls with raw ham and melon with balsamic reduction they are a perfect option for a light and tasty appetizer that will amaze your guests. It doesn’t take long to prepare them and in this recipe we will show you how to prepare these rolls, which combine the creaminess of mozzarella with the sweetness of melon and the salty taste of raw hamall completed by the richness of balsamic reduction.

In southern China there is a soup made with winter melon – Italian Cuisine

In southern China and Hong Kong it is traditional to eat a particular winter soup whose main ingredient is winter melon

If for us Westerners the idea of having fruit among the main ingredients of a hot winter soup may seem unusual, in Chinese cuisine the combination of soup and sweet flavors it is an established habit, so much so that some of these recipes are real desserts. Between traditional soups more characteristics and representative of the south of China a particular preparation based on stands out winter melon (dong gua). There are more or less rich versions of this dish, depending on whether it is cooked at home as a popular food and comfort food, or whether it is part of the banquet and ceremonial menu, as well as more modern and revisited versions. So let's discover the characteristics of the classic variant, from the properties to the most used ingredients.

The recipe for winter melon soup and some of its variations

The home-made and poor version of this recipe includes a few simple ingredients, all commonly used in China. In addition to the winter melon, the other main ingredient is pork meat and, more precisely, the hock, or the end of the shin bone. More modern variants involve the use of pork ribs, meatballs, Chinese ham or chicken instead. For the broth, on the other hand, various ingredients and aromas are generally used, including ginger, dried tangerine peel and Chinese dates. To prepare the soup, simply pour all the ingredients into a large pot full of water, adding the last cubes of winter melon, and let it boil for about two hours. The soup is then served in a bowl, with or without the piece of meat or bone. This dish can also be eaten in summer at room temperature, as a tasty, thirst-quenching and refreshing remedy for the heat. In modern Chinese cuisine and in restaurant menus, winter melon soup it is often enriched with other ingredients, including carrots, shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp or anchovies, crabmeat, lotus seeds, and kombu seaweed.

The winter melon: sweet, nutritious and low-calorie fruit

As we have seen, the main ingredient of this soup is the winter melon, also called yellow or winter melon. Characterized by an elongated shape, a rather smooth yellow skin and a light and sugary pulp whose consistency recalls that of melon, this melon is harvested in summer but, as the name suggests, it can be kept until December / January. Bringing this fruit to the table during the colder months means not only being able to appreciate its pleasant summer aroma out of season, but also benefiting from its beneficial and nutritional properties. The winter melon is in fact low-calorie (less than 30 calories for about 100 grams), as it consists of over 90% water, and is also a good source of iron, calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins and antioxidants. . The Asian variety of this fruit has a very thin green skin, e it is used both in Chinese cuisine in addition to soups and fried foods, both in the Traditional Chinese Medicine as a natural diuretic, laxative and to regulate blood pressure and metabolism.

Photo: Chinese winter melon soup_500_Pixabay.
Photo: Chinese winter melon soup Wintermelonsoup 800_Wikimedia commons.jpg.

Recipe Melon sponge and crispy ham – Italian Cuisine

Ingredients

melon,
120 g egg whites
50 g sugar
50 g egg yolks
flour
cornstarch
baking powder

Duration: 1 h

Level: For experts

Doses: 8 people

For the sponge
Cook 120 g of melon juice in a saucepan, until reduced by half. Partially whip 120 g of egg whites with 35 g of sugar, stopping when the egg whites appear white and barely solid. Keep them aside. Whip 50 g of egg yolks in a bain-marie with 15 g of sugar, a pinch of salt and the reduced melon juice; when they have reached 40 ° C (measure with the thermometer), remove them from the bain-marie and continue beating until the mixture is firm; at this point, incorporate the semi-whipped egg whites, then 55 g of flour, a little at a time, 7 g of corn starch sifted together with 3 g of baking powder. Pour the mixture into 8 disposable molds and bake them for 10 minutes at 160 ° C. Once removed from the oven, turn them out and let them cool.

For the white melon cream
Centrifuge 800 g of white melon and bring the juice to a boil in a saucepan with the juice of 1/2 lemon. Thicken with a pinch of cornstarch, mix and turn off.

For the ham
Press 8 slices of raw ham between two tegliette, lined on top and bottom with baking paper. Bake at 160 ° C for 10-12 minutes, then place the slices of ham on a sheet of kitchen paper, which absorbs the excess fat. Finally, chop them finely to get a crunchy powder.

To serve
Pour the cream into the plates and place the sponges on top. Cover them on the surface with the ham powder and complete with slices of white and orange melon, grated lime zest, pepper and basil leaves.