Hey it’s hot, so sauté the watermelon.

My brother-in-law first suggested this to me a few years ago. I wasn’t convinced that watermelon would cook into anything but a wet soggy mess. I was never so happy to be wrong. It’s similar to my earlier belief that you couldn’t brown a tomato slice. (This was another time when I was happy to eat my words!)

Daryl’s trick was a hot cast iron pan (also the perfect pan for tomatoes), but a grill would be fine too (if turning on the stove is inconceivable in the heat).

Flash sauté little wedges of watermelon until browned lightly (the one pictured is a seedless yellow watermelon we found at a local farm). It only takes a few minutes when the pan or grill is hot enough. Peach slices are great this way too. Or apricots.

Top with goat cheese, and eat straight from the plate or place it on top of a salad.

It’s the crown jewel of anything you lay it upon.

I haven’t tried cherries yet. But I think they’d be delicious flash sautéed and served on ice cream.