Transform a disappointing melon

The cantaloupe was, to put it plainly, a disappointment. I grow muskmelons, so I know how wonderfully fragrant they are when ripe.

But this melon, which appeared in my farm box, was neither ripe nor fragrant. Clue to it being picked too early: It still had a bit of cut stem where it should have had a “belly button” indentation. Cantaloupe conveniently harvests itself when ripe, with the stem disconnecting easily. This one also was somewhat green under the webbing on the skin, not creamy colored.

Yet I didn’t want to waste the melon. There had to be something I could do with it.

The answer I hit on was roasting it. Just add heat and a bit of sugar. It went from bland and crunchy to sweetly edible, the cubes cooking down to nearly sauce. With a little stirring and some (optional) nutmeg, it was sauce, great for ice cream or pancakes. It also could be served alongside grilled chicken or pork, with maybe cumin or paprika instead of nutmeg.

Roasted cantaloupe

Makes about 2 cups, depending on melon’s size

Ingredients:

1 large under-ripe cantaloupe

2 tablespoons sugar or vanilla sugar

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Instructions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash the melon, cut it in half and remove the seeds. Cut the halves into wedges, and cut off the skin. Cut the wedges into 1-inch chunks (approximately).

Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Scatter the melon cubes over the pan. Toss the cubes with the sugar.

Roast the melon for 20-25 minutes until the cubes are soft, turning the cubes after about 12 minutes. The cubes may be starting to brown, but mine did not brown because the melon released so much liquid. Either way, remove from the oven before the cubes collapse completely.

Allow the melon to cool. Scrape the melon and all the liquid into a bowl. Taste, and stir in nutmeg or cinnamon if desired. Use sauce over pancakes, ice cream, pound cake, or whatever you like. Sauce will keep covered in the refrigerator for a couple of days.