Watermelon with Fresh Mint and Lime Syrup

Watermelon is the best thing in the world to eat first thing in the morning because its high water content really helps to flush your body out. The lime-flavored sugar syrup holds well, so you can make it at the beginning of the week and mix it with freshly cut melon each morning.

1/3 cup sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

1/2 large oval watermelon

Cookbook

Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone

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Directions

PREP TIME

MINS

COOKING TIME

MINS

Serves

Make-Ahead:

The simple syrup can be made a week in advance and kept refrigerated until use.

Stir the sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, lime zest, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of lime juice in a small heavy saucepan over high heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup comes to a boil. Let the syrup cool completely, and then refrigerate it until cold.

Strain the chilled syrup into a small bowl and stir in the mint. Allow the mint to infuse into the syrup for at least 5 minutes.

Place the watermelon, cut side down, on a work surface. Using a large sharp knife, cut the watermelon horizontally to form a 2-inch-thick slab. (Reserve the remaining watermelon for another use.)

Trim away the rind and then cut the slab into 2-inch chunks. Transfer the watermelon chunks to a large serving platter, keeping the chunks in a single layer and maintaining the shape of the slab. Pour the cold syrup over the watermelon, and serve.