Raw Fermented Lavender Basil Watermelon Pickles

If you have extra watermelon, cucumbers or most any other fruits/veggies that you may not be able to finish in fresh form for whatever reason, pickling is a wonderful quick and delightful way to give your produce new and expansive life. And also, if you sliced open your watermelon to find it was underripe like me in this instance, here's another good reason to pickle that :) 

I used fresh lavender and basil from my garden for this feature, feel free to combine your favorite herbs into the mix like a warm and spicy clove/cardamom/orange peel/ginger mix, or something cooler like cumin seeds/dill–or keeping things clean and simple with just sea salt and pepper corn. Enjoy!

You can make these the old fashioned way of boiling water/rind, jarring and refrigerating. I used a kimchi method which requires fermenting instead and gives the pickles a little more sour and pungent flavor--along with providing gut health probiotics. 

Lavender Basil Watermelon Pickles 

by Sarah Farsh October 9, 2021

• 1/2 watermelon, sliced to your preference (I keep the skin on but you can remove it if you prefer) 
• 1/2 fresh garlic, smashed
• 1/4 cup sea salt for soaking
• 1 tbsp sea salt for jar
• 1 tsp black pepper corn, smashed for a touch spicier 
• a few sprigs fresh lavender
• a few sprigs fresh basil 
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 2-4 cups water

Slice your watermelon rinds the way you like, place in a bowl and poor 1/4 cup sea salt and 1-2 cups water on top, allow them to soak for an hour. Meanwhile, mix your spices/seasonings (garlic, 1 tbsp sea salt, pepper, lavender, basil into the large jar with a plastic lid you'll be using. I suggest plastic lid because metal tends to rust. I use these. Drain your watermelon rind that's been soaking in salt water well, and add to the jar. Cover with 1/2 cup vinegar and 2-4 cups of water depending how large your jar(s) is to fill up. seal with your plastic lid well and leave on counter overnight to ferment, or up to 2 days if you want them to be extra sour. Place in fridge before enjoying cool, they'll last a few months since they're fermented vs. a few weeks like more traditional pickles.