Cantaloupe Recipe & Nutrition | ‘s Encyclopedia of Food

Cantaloupes are a type of melon cultivated worldwide and used both fresh and in various forms such as jellies, jams, and pickles. While cantaloupes are originally from Africa, the word “melon” comes from the Persian word melumun, meaning “rock melon” which refers to the fruit’s resistance to disease.

Cantaloupes are already popular as baby food and as part of various desserts. Since the flesh of cantaloupes is low in calories and hardly fills you up, it is often used to make fruit desserts. However, cantaloupes are also used in other dishes. For example, the fruit is often used in fruit salad. It can also be used in various recipes for desserts, such as a cantaloupe ice cream or a fruit salad.

What do you do with a cantaloupe that’s sat in the fridge for a few days, and just doesn’t look that exciting anymore? The answer by the way is to make a delicious, healthy, refreshing ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet. It’s easy too, and in this recipe, I’ll show you how to make the perfect frozen desserts.

A Quick Look

Cantaloupes have a gray scaly coating that makes them appear like fruit zombies. But don’t be fooled: this fruit has a vitamin C-rich, sweet and juicy sunset-colored flesh that belies its unassuming exterior. Cantaloupes, like other melons, grow on vines and are often harvested and transported before they are completely ripe, therefore check for the following characteristics when shopping for a ripe cantaloupe: A mature and juicy cantaloupe will be heavy for its size, with a slightly yellowish or cream-colored rind (rather than greenish or grey), a sweet and musky aroma, and flesh that gives to mild pressure. It is advised that you use care while preparing and storing your cantaloupe due to the potential of microbial infection. The most essential thing to remember is to clean your melon before slicing and to keep it chilled thereafter. Once it’s in your stomach, you can sit back and relax as digestion takes care of the rest.

Overview

Cantaloupe is a wonderful fruit that you will be pleased to put in your mouth, whether it is unfussy and naked on a basic fruit plate or spiced up and wrapped with prosciutto.

Cantaloupes are the zombies of the fruit world in terms of look, with their scaly, gray skin. But don’t worry: they’re sweet, silky, sunset-colored, and juicy on the inside. It’s probably because of these interior qualities that cantaloupes are the most popular melon in the United States!

Cucumber, zucchini, and other squash are all members of the Curcubitaceae family, which also contains cantaloupes.

Cantaloupes, like their relatives, grow on vines. Cantaloupes are often cleaned with bleach or sodium hypochlorite after being harvested and before being sent. Because cantaloupe skin is especially susceptible to bacterial contamination and mold, this procedure is taken. Because of this, it is also advised that the surface of a cantaloupe be thoroughly washed and cleansed before cutting and serving.

China is now the world’s leading producer of cantaloupes, with Turkey, Iran, and Egypt following closely after.

Identification

Cantaloupes are big, heavy spherical fruits that weigh about five pounds and have a diameter of around five to six inches.

Cantaloupe has an unappealing skin with a greyish-beige, scratchy, net-like design that covers a green foundation that becomes yellow as the fruit ripens.

The cantaloupe has a lovely light pinkish-orange flesh on the inside, with a core full of seeds and mush that may be scraped out before eating*. The taste of this fruit is sweet, flowery, and somewhat musky.

*Although the seeds and mush are completely edible, they are usually thrown away as trash. Roasted cantaloupe seeds, on the other hand, are a favorite food in certain cultures. Try them for yourself by washing them, patting them dry, and toasting them in a pan with a little olive oil until golden brown. Eat after seasoning with salt and spices.

Nutritional Information

54 calories, 1.3 grams of protein, 0.3 grams of fat, 13.1 grams of carbs, 1.4 grams of fiber, and 12.6 grams of sugar are found in one cup of cubed cantaloupe (approximately 160 grams). Vitamin C and beta carotene are both abundant in cantaloupe.

Selection

Cantaloupes are available all year at most grocery shops, although they taste best in the summer in North America, when they are accessible from more local sources.

Look for cantaloupes that are hefty for their size and have a creamy-colored or yellowish skin when selecting a delicious, ripe cantaloupe. Unripe cantaloupes are more likely to have green or grey rinds.

Find the fruit’s stem end and gently push your thumb into it. Cantaloupes that are overripe will be mushy and squishy, while those that are underripe will be firm. When gently pressed, a fully ripe cantaloupe will give slightly.

Finally, take a whiff of that melon! The aroma of ripe cantaloupe is melon-like and somewhat musky. It’s most likely underripe if there’s no scent at all. It is overripe if the scent is extremely strong, or almost alcoholic.

Storage

Because of the danger of bacterial and/or fungal infection, you should store your cantaloupe with caution.

A perfectly ripe cantaloupe may be kept in the fridge for three to four days before chopping. (If it hasn’t completely ripened, keep it at room temperature until it shows symptoms of ripening, such as yellowing, smelling sweet, and softening somewhat.)

Cantaloupe should not be kept out at room temperature for more than two hours after cutting, according to public health groups, owing to the danger of infection by bacteria. Cantaloupe that has been left out for longer than this period should be thrown.

Freshly cut cantaloupe may be kept for two to three days in an airtight container, or for up to six months in the freezer.

Preparation

Because of the potential of bacterial and/or fungal infection, you should proceed with care while preparing your cantaloupe.

Wash your hands and any kitchen utensils you’ll be using to prepare the melon beforehand. After that, rinse the whole cantaloupe under cold running water, gently scrape the rind with a fruit/vegetable brush, then pat the skin dry with a clean dish towel. Next, cut off the very top of the stem end with a clean sharp knife and discard it (bacterial contamination is most likely to occur in this spot). Unless you’re going to roast the seeds, cut the cantaloupe in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Remove the skin off your cantaloupe before cutting it into whichever size slices you like. You may either chop the fruit into cubes or make beautiful tiny cantaloupe spheres using a melon baller tool. Then gobble it all up.

Recipe: CANTALOUPE RIBBON SALAD WITH FETA & MINT

This quick salad comes together in minutes and serves as an exquisite and surprising side dish. A delicious meal is made with sweet and juicy cantaloupe, salty feta, and fresh mint.

Ingredients

Ripe cantaloupe, cut into thin ribbons after removing the skin and seeds. 2 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled 50g extra virgin olive oil 1/2 lime, juiced 1/2 mint leaves, coarsely chopped season with freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Time to Prepare: 10 minutes Time to cook: 0 minutes 2 servings (about)

Slice the cantaloupe into thin ribbons after the skin has been removed and the seeds have been scooped out. Use a very sharp knife or, better yet, a mandolin to do this.

After that, combine the ribbons with the mint and lime juice in a large mixing basin. Toss everything together.

Serve in individual bowls with crumbled feta, a drizzle of high quality olive oil, and a few cracks of fresh pepper, if desired.

Serve right away. Enjoy!

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Foods That Are Related

If you want to grow a great cantaloupe from seed, it’s easier than you think. Here are some tips and tricks for growing cantaloupes from seed.. Read more about simple cantaloupe recipes and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is cantaloupe bad for you?

Cantaloupe is a fruit that contains a lot of sugar. It is not recommended for people with diabetes or other health conditions because it can cause spikes in blood sugar levels.

What can I do with raw cantaloupe?

You can make a raw cantaloupe smoothie.

What can you put on cantaloupe?

You can put anything you want on a cantaloupe.

Related Tags

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