The New York Times today published several stories on the wonders of watermelon. Kim Severson looked at why bigger is now longer automatically better in the world of "personal-sized" melons and posted a good-humored video on how to pick the perfect one. Even more interesting to me -- given last week's adventure with Marcella Hazan's luscious cantalope sauce for pasta -- was Eric Asimov's recipe for Watermelon and Pancetta Risotto.
The fact that I had all of the ingredients -- well, half the recommended amount of pancetta but plenty of rich, homemade chicken stock -- and that a reader responding to Asimov's posting wished for a photo of the dish, I decided to embrace the challenge. It is similar in most regards to other risotto preparation, except of course for the star ingredient. The melon cubes, which impart a lovely pink stain, look a great deal like diced tomatoes, which might inspire good hosting fun with unsuspecting dinner guests.
Since the recipe is easy to follow, I have just a few tips. First, to avoid soupy risotto, pour off any watermelon juice that collects -- directly into your mouth. Second, use the full amount of pancetta. Lastly, be sure to check seasoning before serving. It really benefits from a generous sprinkle of salt.
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