Watermelon Mojitos

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 - bookcooker

Nothing screams summer like watermelon. Watermelon has never been a real love of mine, I tolerate it, but the big cutting job and the dripping miss never did it for me.  This year, for some reason, I keep finding myself adding watermelon to my grocery cart.  Something just clicked, and I want to eat it all the time now.  Maybe its because the genetic modifying farmers have really found the right formula to make sweet, juicy seedless watermelons?  Who knows.  

As we head into July, watermelon serves as the perfect starting ingredient for summer cocktails.  I could have gone a lot of ways mixing this into drinks - margarita, daiquiri, sangria, but decided to go with the mojito, with a healthy dose of mint adding an herbaceous balance to the sweetness of the watermelon and rum.   While this isn't red, white and blue, it will still be a great addition to any Fourth of July soiree, and pink and green is cuter anyway, right?

Watermelon Mojito, adapted from The Barefoot Contessa "How Easy is That?"

Ingredients (for 2 drinks)
10-15 mint leaves, torn in pieces, plus more for garnish
2 cups watermelon
6 ounces light rum
4 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:

1.       In each glass, muddle half the mint leaves with 1 teaspoon of sugar.  Let sit.

2.       Meanwhile, in a blender, puree the watermelon - either leave it pulpy or strain.

3.       Add a few ice cubes to each glass.

4.       Pour 2 tablespoons of lime juice in each glass, then top with the rum and the watermelon juice mixture.

Stir and sip