This sweet-salty broiled appetizer is a traditional cocktail tidbit served with drinks throughout the South. It’s never had a real name though. And it desperately needs one. Right now, it takes longer to say “bacon-wrapped sweetened watermelon-rind pickle” than it does to eat one. But think Wa-termelon and Ba-con, and suddenly WaBa Bites becomes the perfect name. (It’s been coined by Watermelon Times, of course; let’s give credit where credit is due.)
Ingredients:
Makes 15 pieces
5 pieces of bacon
15 pieces of sweetened watermelon-rind pickle
Preparation:
Preheat the broiler. Cut the bacon strips into thirds. Pat dry the watermelon-pickle pieces. Wrap a piece of bacon around each piece of pickle and fasten in place with a toothpick.
Put the wrapped pickles on a pan and place a few inches under the broiler. Broil for 1-2 minutes, until the tops just begin to brown. Turn them over and brown 1-2 minutes more. Let cool slightly (they’ll be very hot). Serve warm.
Recipe tested by Ellen Ficklen; email questions to hello@watermelontimes.com