Tuna on Pickled Watermelon Rind

I adore watermelons and this is a great time of year for them. I love the fact they are so versatile, they can be made into a refreshing juice, perhaps with some strawberries for extra sweetness. Add some cubes of feta, some mint and drizzle with a balsamic glaze (make your own glaze or buy ready made - Waitrose stock it) for a quick starter, or scoop some balls of different colour melons and sprinkle with mint sugar for a speedy dessert. But now, with the interest firmly in making less waste, how about pickling the rind? It is very quick, very easy and keeps well in the fridge for a couple of weeks. It is good in a salsa or can liven up a salad and is brilliantly zingy in this quick canapé.

Ingredients - makes 20

100g fresh tuna steak

Chives

Coriander flowers

200g watermelon rind (see method)

150ml water

50g caster sugar

60ml white wine vinegar

2 tsp salt

Pinch dry chilli flakes

1 green chilli

Method

Peel the dark green rind off the watermelon and discard, leaving the white part with a thin layer of pink watermelon flesh still attached.

Cut these prepared pieces of watermelon rind into squares, about 1.5cm x 1.5cm.

Bring the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and chilli flakes to the boil and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Add the prepared rind and bring back to the boil.

Remove from the heat, cover and allow to cool. The watermelon rind is now ready to use, but can be kept, covered, in the fridge for a week or so.

Sear the tuna steak, season and allow to cool.

To assemble: cut pieces of tuna similar in size to the watermelon rind. Blot the pickled rind on kitchen paper.

Stack one piece of tuna on top of one piece of the pickled rind, decorate with a couple of small pieces of chive and a coriander flower, if available (or a little sprig of coriander if not). Check seasoning and serve.

Can be stored in the fridge, covered with damp kitchen paper, for several hours.