Melon Liquado Food

WATERMELON LIQUADO (WATERMELON COOLER)

Steps:

• Peel the watermelon, cut the flesh into chunks and discard any seeds.
• Tip the chunks into a large bowl - pour over the chilled water and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
• Spoon the mixture into a large sieve set over a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, gently push the fruit through the sieve to extract all the liquid.
• Stir in the lime juice and sweeten with honey to taste.
• Pour into a jug, add a generous handful of ice cubes and stir to mix. Serve in tumblers.

COCONUTS: OPENING, GRATING AND LIQUADO

Steps:

• Opening Coconuts: Open the coconuts by flinging them onto a cement or rock surface (this is how the monkeys do it!) Don't worry about losing the liquid, as it's not the coconut milk called for in cooking. Each coconut should break in 3 to 4 pieces. It is also possible to open a coconut by piercing the eyes of the coconut with a screwdriver or ice pick, draining the liquid through the holes and placing the coconut in a 400 degrees F oven for 20 minutes. Wrap the coconut in a towel and hit it with a hammer to loosen the shell and split it into pieces.
• Pry out the white meat and then pare off the dark skin.
• Grating Coconut Meat: To grate the white meat, put the meat through the grating disk of a food processor or use a hand grater. You should get about 7 cups of grated coconut from the two coconuts, which will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
• Reserve 4 cups of the grated coconut for the pie crust and filling.
• Coconut Liquado: To make the coconut milk, combine the remaining 3 to 4 cups of loosely packed grated coconut with the milk (use 3/4 cup of coconut for each 1 cup of milk) in a heavy saucepan. Heat slowly, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and cool. Strain the milk, pressing down on the coconut meat to extract all the liquid. Squeeze all the coconut through a towel to get any last drops. Discard the coconut.

CANTALOUPE LIQUADO

Steps:

• Combine the cantaloupe with the milk, ice, and honey in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and serve immediately.

LICUADOS

Steps:

• Pineapple Licuado
• In the jar of a blender, add all the ingredients and pulse briefly until the pineapple chunks are finely chopped (but not a puree). You will have to add the ingredients in 2 batches. Strain through a medium-mesh strainer. Chill well in the refrigerator. Serve over ice with a garnish of fresh pineapple.
• Tangerine Licuado
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to blend. No need to strain. Chill well in the refrigerator. Serve over ice with a tangerine wheel for garnish.

COCONUT LIQUADO

Steps:

• Hammer a nail through each of the coconut's 3 eyes to puncture. Drain and reserve the milk. Crack and remove the hull by smacking it on its equator. Then, with a vegetable peeler, peel and discard the brown top layer. Break the meat into chunks. In a blender combine coconut meat, coconut milk, honey and 1 cup whole milk. Blend until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups milk and ice and blend until ice is finely crushed. Strain and serve in tall glasses over ice.

CANTALOUPE LIQUADO

Steps:

• Place the melon pieces into your blender (until about half full) and then squeeze the lime juice into the blender. Use a pulse setting to blend and add water in 1/4 cup increments until it starts to move.
• Once the fruit has turned to pulp, add more fruit if you have it. Leave the blender on for 2-3 minutes.
• Use a spoon to determine how smooth it is. If you wish it to be smoother, keep blending for up to 4 more minutes and taste to determine if it is sweet enough. If you're not sure, add a little salt, blend it for 30 seconds and taste again.
• If it still isn't sweet enough, add sugar and blend again for a minute. Once it tastes the way you want, you're ready to get it to have the texture that you want.
• Pour the pulp mixture into a serving pitcher. Add cold water a cup at a time and stir vigorously until reaching your desired thickness.
• If you want a smoother drink, put a colander over a large bowl or pan. Line it with two layers of cheesecloth and slowly pour your drink through it to catch any fibers.
• Any unused pieces of melon can be taken as melon balls, frozen, and then put into the drinks as a sort of "ice cube" making a great treat in the drink as well.

SPICED BANANA LICUADO

Steps:

• In a blender, combine chilled milk, cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg.
• Add banana chunks, ice cubes, and brown sugar.
• Whirl until smooth.