Watermelon slush

Remove the rind and seeds, cut the flesh into chunks and freeze them on a tray. Blitz the frozen chunks with a squeeze of lime and a splash of cold water until just slushy, then serve straight away.

Freezing the chunks gives you a thicker slush without watering down the flavour with lots of ice. If you’re using fresh watermelon, blend it with ice and serve immediately, before it melts.

Choose one that feels heavy for its size and has a creamy yellow patch where it rested on the ground. The flesh should smell fresh and sweet when you cut it; very soft or mealy flesh makes a less refreshing slush.

Freeze the cut watermelon ahead, but blend it just before serving for the best icy texture. A blended slush can be kept covered in the freezer, though it will set hard and need a quick re-blitz.

Lime and fresh mint bring out the fruit’s sweetness. Serve it as a cooling drink at a summer barbecue or picnic, alongside grilled food.

Yes: use frozen strawberries in the same way, adding a little water only if the blender needs help. Strawberry slush is sharper and thicker, and has 43 kcal per 100 g compared with 53 kcal in watermelon slush.

Watermelon slush has 53 kcal per 100 g, compared with 42 kcal in watermelon juice.