CHEFS' RECIPES
Pickled melon with serrano ham

Pickled melon with serrano ham

“This is a great little appetiser to start a meal. It’s perfect with a glass of Champagne.”

Serves 6

Cooking Time Prep time 10 mins, cook 10 mins (plus cooling)



200 ml   white wine vinegar
120 gm   white sugar
4   cloves
2   star anise
1   cinnamon quill
¼ tsp   coriander seeds
1   piece of lemon rind, removed with a peeler
10   thin slices of serrano ham (see note)
300 gm   peeled seedless watermelon
½   rockmelon, peeled


1 Combine vinegar, sugar, spices, lemon rind, a pinch of salt and 200ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
2 Preheat oven to 200C. Place ham in a single layer on a baking paper-lined oven tray and bake until completely crisp and dry (about 5 minutes).
3 Cut melons into 1.5cm x 4cm batons and stand in pickling liquid for 1 minute. Remove, drain on absorbent paper and serve with ham.

Note Serrano ham (jamón serrano) is dry-cured Spanish ham similar to prosciutto. It’s available from select delicatessens.

RECIPE Ben Shewry PHOTOGRAPHY Sharyn Cairns STYLING Emma Knowles


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