Recette : la pastèque étoilée de l’été

When you think of sunny holidays, you think of… watermelon! Fresh, sweet, and hydrating, it’s the ultimate summer fruit. Heading Le Prieuré Baumanière, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, chef Christophe Chiavola offers a gourmet twist on watermelon designed to be eaten with your fingers, like a savory slice of cake. Today, he shares his secret recipe. The chef’s first tip for choosing the right fruit: "Just like melon, check its weight. The heavier the watermelon, the higher the sugar content. And if the stem is slightly cracked or breaks easily, even better." Elevated with harissa, citrus, and a delicious smoky touch, your guests won’t believe their taste buds!

Compressed Watermelon

• 1 large ripe watermelon
• 150 g calamansi vinegar (or yuzu)
• 30 g bergamot vinegar
• 3 g salt

Harissa Watermelon Gel

• 400 g watermelon juice (made from scraps)
• 8 to 12 g artisanal harissa
• 2 g salt
• 1 pinch cumin
• 1 pinch ground coriander
• 6 g agar-agar

Bergamot – Ponzu Gel

• 180 g water
• 70 g bergamot juice
• 60 g ponzu
• 15 g sugar
• 5 g agar-agar

BBQ Grilled Pepper Gel

• 250 g grilled red peppers
• 40 g cooking juice
• 15 g Sherry vinegar
• 2 g smoked paprika
• 3 g salt
• 5 g agar-agar

Compressed Watermelon

1. Cut the watermelon into 2 cm thick slabs.
2. Vacuum seal with the vinegar and salt.
3. Pull a full vacuum and let it rest flat in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

Harissa Watermelon Gel

1. Blend the watermelon scraps and strain.
2. Mix with the harissa, spices, and salt.
3. Add the agar-agar, bring to a boil for 1 minute, pour onto a tray, let it set, then blend until completely smooth.

Bergamot Gel

1. Follow the same process: bring to a boil with the agar-agar, let set, then blend.

BBQ Grilled Pepper Gel

1. Blend, strain, bring to a boil with the agar-agar, let set, then blend.

1. Cut the compressed watermelon into thin slices and arrange them in a fan shape to form a slice of cake.
2. Add small dots of harissa watermelon gel, bergamot-ponzu gel, and grilled pepper gel.
3. Finish with aromatic herbs with notes of basil and anise (lemon basil, Greek basil, bronze fennel, anise hyssop…) and a few edible flowers.

The chef's tip: Serve without cutlery—eat it with your fingers for a convivial, fresh, and surprising experience.

Discover also a sugar-free vanilla & pecan ice cream… and the eggplant caviar that smells like Greece by Dina Nikolaou.