Glyko Karpouzi - Watermelon Preserve - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 kg watermelon rind, all traces of pink removed and the green skin peeled off. Cut the rind into 2 cm cubes
water
800 g sugar
2 pieces cinnamon bark
1 piece lemon peel, thin strip
30 ml lemon juice
60 ml honey
125 g almonds, toasted

Preparation

Place the rind cubes in a perserving pan and cover with cold water.
Bring to the boil and simmer for one hour or until the rind is translucent. Drain.
Place 750 ml of water in a pan with sugar, cinnamon, lemon, half the lemon juice and the honey.
Stir over gentle heat until the sugar dissolves and bring to the boil, skim when necessary.
Add the drained watermelon rind, return to the boil and boil gently for 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat, cover and leave for 12 hours or overnight.
Return to the boil over medium heat and boil until the syrup thickens when tested on a cold saucer.
Remove cinnamon and lemon peel.
Add remaining lemon juice and toasted almonds.
Boil one minute and then ladle into warm sterilized jars.
Seal when cold.