By Karoline Boehm Goodnick GLOBE CORRESPONDENT

Makes 6 cups

With watermelon on the menu for just about every summer gathering, there is sure to be plenty of rind for pickling. This quick vinegar pickle could not be easier and pairs well with the season’s finest, like fried chicken and grilled meats. The only trick is to remember to plan far enough ahead so that the pickles will be ready in time for the party.

½ medium watermelon 1½ cups sugar 1½ cups cider vinegar ½ cup water 1 tablespoon salt 1 piece (2 inches) cinnamon stick 2 whole cloves 1 tablespoon mustard seeds ½ teaspoon ground turmeric 1 jar (3 ounces) cocktail onions, drained and rinsed
1. Cut the watermelon into approximately 8 wedges. Remove all but ¼ inch of flesh along the edge of the rind. Using a peeler, remove the dark green, hard shell exterior. Cut remaining rind into 1-inch pieces. You should have about 8 cups of rind.
2. In a large, heavy-bottom pot, combine sugar, cider vinegar, water, salt, cinnamon stick, cloves, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Stir well. Bring liquid to a boil. Add watermelon. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add cocktail onions.

3. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool on counter for 30 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a glass jar with a lid and refrigerate for 3 days before serving.
Karoline Boehm Goodnick

Karoline Boehm Goodnick can be reached at kboehmgoodnick@gmail.com

By Diana Henry, James Beard award winner   –   The Telegraph

You can’t go to New York and not have a slider. If you don’t want to make your own pickled cucumber then buy a jar. Other hot sauces – such as chipotle – can be used but add to taste as they all vary in heat (and they’ll all give you different results).

SERVES

4

INGREDIENTS

For the cucumber:

• ½ cucumber
• ¼ tbsp sea salt flakes
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1½ tbsp caster sugar

For the mayonnaise:

• 125g quality mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp double cream
• 1 tsp harissa

For the sliders:

• 75g fresh white breadcrumbs
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground paprika
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 x 125g white fish fillets, skin removed
• 4 burger buns, halved
• 4 tbsp oil, for frying
• About 8 baby gem lettuce leaves
• 1 large avocado, halved, stoned and sliced
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• Handful coriander sprigs (tough stalks removed)
• Juice of 2 limes

METHOD

Cut the cucumber into fine, almost transparent slices. Layer in a colander with the salt, place a plate on top and set over a bowl for an hour so the juices run out.

Rinse and carefully pat dry. Mix with the vinegar and sugar and keep covered  in the fridge.

Stir together the mayonnaise ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Mix the breadcrumbs, spices and some seasoning in a bowl and put the eggs in another bowl.

Leave thick fish pieces that are small enough to fit the buns, but cut longer, thinner fillets in two.

Dip the fish into the egg  and then the breadcrumbs. Heat the buns on a tray  in the oven.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the fish on each side until golden on the outside (about a minute each side). Turn the heat down and cook through to the middle (about another minute on each side).

Fill the buns with the mayo, lettuce, fish, more mayo, cucumber, avocado, tomato and coriander, then dress with lime juice. They will be tall! Serve immediately..

By MICHELLE HASTINGS ~ For the T-G

Bacon Jalapeño Deviled Eggs are a delicious twist on a traditional summer barbecue side. If your family loves heat like mine, these will be a hit. They have just the right amount of it without overpowering your senses.

We’ve tweaked the original recipe just a pinch by swapping out diced fresh jalapeños with a pickled version of our favorite pepper and rice vinegar for white vinegar, just to suit our tastes. By swapping out the fresh jalapeños for pickled we are able to control the heat a little better. When fresh peppers are preferred it is certainly recommended that they are seeded and kitchen gloves come in handy. It takes a while to get the sting out.

If heat is not your thing or you need to make a more traditional egg, just leave the peppers out altogether, the mixture minus the jalapeños and/or bacon is a great one for the tastiest of deviled eggs. Whether it’s this summer’s barbecue or next spring’s Easter dinner, this recipe is sure to stand the test of time with or without the flair of our favorite added flavors.

12 eggs, large hard-boiled

6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

2 diced fresh jalapeños, seeded, or 2 generous tablespoons of the pickled variety

1 cup mayo

¾ tsp. Mustard, ground

½ tsp. Sugar

½ tsp. Rice Vinegar or White Vinegar

Paprika for garnish

Directions

Slice the hard-boiled eggs in half, lengthwise

Remove the yolks and put them in a mixing bowl

Mash egg yolks with a fork

Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, ground mustard, and sugar to the mashed egg yolks and stir until well combined

Add the jalapenos and bacon, reserving some bacon crumbles for garnish

For a more uniform egg, clip the end of a Ziploc bag to dispense mixture from (or you can just spoon a dollop of the mixture)

Fill each egg hole with the mixture

Sprinkle with paprika

Chill until ready to serve