Esta Rojo with I Heart Cooking Clubs

Watermelon Cooler

Agua de Sandía

Makes about 3 quarts, serving about 12

Recipe from Season 6 of Mexico - One Plate at a Time

INGREDIENTS

7-8 pounds seedless watermelon
1/3 cup fresh lime juice, plus a little more if needed
3/4 to 1 1/4 cup sugar, depending on the sweetness of the watermelon

DIRECTIONS

Quarter the watermelon, then cut the flesh from the rind and cut the flesh into 1-inch pieces; you should have about 8 cups (3 pounds).  Scoop the watermelon into a blender along with 1 1/2 cups water and process to a smooth puree (do this in batches if all of it won't fit into your blender). 

Pour into a very large (1 gallon) pitcher or Mexican glass agua barrel.  Add 4 cups water, along with the lime juice and sugar.  Stir until the sugar dissolves, then give it a taste, adding more lime or sugar as you see fit.  Serve over ice. 

Watermelon Mojito

Mojito de Sandia

Recipe from "Fiesta at Rick's" cookbook

Makes 8 12-ounce drinks

INGREDIENTS

8 large sprigs of fresh mint
4 cups cubed seedless watermelon—3/4-inch cubes are perfect here
1/2  cup Simple Syrup
Ice cubes (you’ll need about 2 quarts)
2 cups white rum (I like D’Aristi rum from Yucatan)
1/2 cup lime juice
Sparkling water or club soda

DIRECTIONS

Set out 8 tall 12-ounce glasses.  Into each glass strip off the leaves from a single sprig of mint—you’ll need about 10 leaves for each drink—and top with 1/2 cup watermelon cubes.  Divide the Simple Syrup among the glasses (1 tablespoon - 1/2 ounce per glass).  Use a muddler (or the handle of a wooden spoon or a long-handle ice tea spoon—though neither is anywhere near as effective) to crush the mint and watermelon, releasing their flavor into the syrup—the more muddling, the fuller the flavors.   Fill each glass with ice.  Measure in the rum (1/4 cup - 2 ounces per glass) and the lime juice (1 tablespoon - 1/2 ounce per glass).  Use a long-handle ice tea spoon to mix everything together.  Top off each glass with a little sparkling water or soda and you’re ready to serve.