Grilled Watermelon Scallop Shish Kabobs

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Watermelon in a main dish? Yup. In Grilled Watermelon Scallop Shish Kabobs, watermelon is a colorful and intriguing co-star, providing an unusual counterpoint to simply grilled scallops.

I’m a confirmed watermelon fan. Whether it’s in an elegant dessert or a fun appetizer, a drink, a soup(gazpacho), or a popsicle, I find watermelon a delightful ingredient in just about any summer meal. But figuring out how to put it in a main dish is more of a challenge.

And of course, I like nothing more than a challenge. So when our July Progressive Eats host, Carol, decided on watermelon as the month’s theme, my contribution just had to be a watermelon-inspired main dish.

BTW – Carol is new to our group. So go check out her wonderful blog and enjoy her creativity there and in this online community. 

I’m intrigued by the transformation of juicy, crispy watermelon when it cooks. The outside gets warm and less crispy, but the inside still retains a bit of crunch. Although watermelon has a tendency to fall apart if cooked for a long time, you can use it in stir fries and curry.

From Challenge to Watermelon Main Dish

Summer is high grilling season in my house. So it was easy to decide how to cook my main dish. Besides, watermelon takes on a nice seared look on the outside when grilled, a look I particularly like.

When choosing my main dish, next I had to decide on the main ingredient to go with watermelon. I focused on fish and shellfish, because they are mild and nicely take on flavors from a marinade or sauce. I happened to have scallops, and figured they would do well on the grill.

After that was choosing the flavor profile. I settled on spicy sweet as one that would complement and not overwhelm my two main ingredients.  BTW – For ideas on what herbs and spices to use with watermelon, check out my watermelon pairing guide. 

Finally, I came the shape of the dish. With a history of loving shish kebabs or kebobs and several years supply of bamboo skewers on hand, naturally I gravitated to skewering the watermelon and scallops. 

The result is Grilled Watermelon Scallop Shish Kabobs. The sauce is spicy and just a bit sweet, the scallops are tender and the watermelon is quite refreshing.

Before we get to the recipe, a few tips on grilling both scallops and watermelon. (For more detail, check out this Food52 article. While I didn’t follow every last one of its scallop grilling tricks, the article is worth reading.)

Tips on How to Grill Watermelon & Scallops

• Watermelon – Cut the watermelon into thick pieces. If the watermelon (on skewers or in slices) is too thin, it will disintegrate.
• Scallops – Dry them super well before grilling. Damp scallops do not get those nice grill marks. (Use a paper towel to dry them. 
• Skewers – Using double skewers is the best way to anchor the watermelon and scallops. Otherwise, they tend to spin around and risk falling off the skewers. 
• Separate them – Watermelon and scallops do not cook at the same rate, so keep them on separate skewers or put the watermelon directly on the grill in slices.  
• The sauce – Don’t marinate either the watermelon or the scallops in the sauce, which would make them water-logged. You can lightly brush the sauce on the watermelon before grilling. However, for scallops, don’t add it until the last minute on the grill or drizzle it on only after cooking. 

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Each recipe in our menu this month features foods using watermelon as an ingredient. Our host this month is Carol, the creator of From a Chef’s Kitchen.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. A theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the delicious summery watermelon dishes!