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Affectionately known as cucamelons, mouse melons or mini watermelons, Mexican sour gherkins cucumbers are the adorable grape-shaped fruit taking over the market (and our Instagrams) this season.
Originating in Mexico and South America, sanditas (“little watermelon” in Spanish), their flavor, crunch and aroma are like a cucumber with an additional lime twist. This makes them perfect for snacking raw (a sprinkle of salt suggested) or in salads, salsa and even as a drink garnish.
Below are some our selected recipes from around the internet to get your creative cucamelon juices flowing:
- Refrigerator pickles
Since the cucamelon is very similar to the cucumber, pickling seems obvious. This recipe is pretty straightforward with a surprising jalapeño kick. Regular diced green pepper would suffice if spicy pickles aren’t your taste. - Cucuamelon salsa
A twist on a regular accompaniment to Taco Tuesday, this salsa will soon take over your refrigerator. It is definitely on the chunkier side and omits tomatoes, which is great for those who have low-acid diets. - Pickled cucamelons with dill and mint
This pickling marinade adds mint and dill for a more rounded flavor than a traditional pickling recipe. There’s also a two week wait time to enjoy these little treats, so be patient! It’s worth it. - Cucamelon bruschetta
Bruschetta is one of the best things in life. Well, that’s my opinion anyway. Through dinner parties, weddings and cocktail hours, we’ve all seen our share of classic tomato brushetta or goat cheese with caramelized onions. Thanks to the cucamelon, this recipe gets a tangy facelift. - Marinated mouse melon
Need a quick, healthy and flavorful dinner? This mélange is for you. Would also be great as a side dish to fish, with the brininess complimenting most any seafood. - Cucamelon radish salad
Besides the fact that this bowl of cucamelons and radishes is gorgeously colorful, all this salad needs is salt, pepper and a little vinegar. Bring this to work and make everyone jealous.
