Justin Chapple: Mad Genius Tips: Fruit-full Entertaining

Grilling watermelon gives it a pleasantly smoky flavor and a glistening surface that's reminiscent of tuna steaks. Here, Justin tops slabs of the sweet-smoky fruit with warm pickled shrimp, onion, and jalapeño. Fresh parsley finishes off this summery main dish.

Serves:2
Active Time:30 mins
Total Time:50 mins

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar (such as Bragg)
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 12 ounces peeled and deveined tail-on raw large shrimp
• 1 medium-size red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium jalapeno, thinly sliced
• 1 (2-inch thick) watermelon round (from the center of 1 large seedless watermelon), quartered
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Lime wedges, for serving

1. Stir together vinegar, ½ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, and coriander seeds in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high. Add shrimp, onion, and jalapeno. Cover pan, and remove from heat; let stand 20 minutes, stirring once after 10 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, preheat grill to high (450°F to 500°F). Brush watermelon quarters with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Place watermelon on grill grates and grill, uncovered, until slightly softened and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter. Using a slotted spoon, top watermelon wedges evenly with pickled shrimp mixture. Spoon a few tablespoons of pickling liquid over top of each, and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Seafood and vegetables are often the star of fritto misto (mixed fry). In this version, Justin swaps in ripe but firm mangoes and sturdy halloumi cheese, showcasing their incredible versatility. A batter of fizzy club soda, flour, and cornstarch forms a crust that is light but dippable.

Serves:4 to 6
Active Time:30 mins
Total Time:30 mins

• Neutral oil (such as grapeseed), for frying
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 ½ ounces)
• ½ cup cornstarch (about 2 1/4 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 2 ½ cups club soda
• 2 ripe-but-firm medium mangoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch wedges
• 8 ounces halloumi cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 medium scallions, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
• Chile oil, for serving

1. Heat 2 inches of neutral oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high to 360°F. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in club soda until mixture is smooth and the consistency of thin pancake batter. Let batter stand 5 minutes.
   
2. Working in batches, dip mango wedges, halloumi pieces, scallion piece, and lemon slices in batter, letting excess drip off; add to hot oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy, 1 to 3 minutes depending on size. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Sprinkle fritto misto with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Serve with chile oil, for dipping.

Roasting citrus makes it more intense and fragrant. Justin adds bay leaves and lemons to his roasting pan to make this incredible cocktail.

Serves:6
Active Time:10 mins
Total Time:30 mins, plus chilling

• 3 lemons, quartered lengthwise, plus 6 wheels for garnish
• 3 fresh bay leaves, plus 6 more for garnish
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vodka
• Ice
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons club soda

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small roasting pan, roast the lemon quarters with the 3 bay leaves for about 20 minutes, until the lemons are softened and browned in spots. Scrape the lemons, bay leaves, and any pan juices into a large pitcher. Add the water, sugar, and vodka and muddle with the lemons. Let cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled.
   
2. Strain the lemonade through a fine sieve into 6 ice-filled glasses. Top each drink with 3 tablespoons of the club soda and garnish with a lemon wheel and bay leaf.

The strained hard lemonade can be refrigerated overnight.