Rockmelon, bay leaf and white pepper jam

Silvia Colloca's rockmelon broken down with lemon, sugar, bay leaves and white pepper until the fruit collapses into a savoury-sweet jam. The pepper bites; the bay perfumes; the melon stays unmistakable underneath. Spoon over cheese boards or stir into yoghurt.

The Italian tradition of savoury fruit jams (mostarda, the Lombard preserves with mustard and candied fruit; cotognata, the Sicilian quince paste) is the broader category this sits in. Rockmelon is the modern Australian-Italian adaptation; the Italian original would more likely use figs, quinces or stone fruit.

White pepper is the unexpected ingredient that lifts this from sweet jam to savoury condiment. Where black pepper would dominate with its biting hot note, white pepper sits gentler and more floral, providing a slow-building warmth that pairs beautifully with the rockmelon's sweetness and the bay's herbal depth. Use freshly ground from the whole peppercorn rather than pre-ground (which loses its volatile oils within weeks of grinding).

The lemon juice is the pectin source. Rockmelon has very little natural pectin (the carbohydrate that makes jams set); the lemon's high acid content provides both the gelling agent and the brightness that balances the sugar. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until the jam reaches setting point (a small spoonful on a chilled plate should wrinkle when pushed with a finger). Bottle hot into sterilised jars; keeps for six months unopened, two weeks once opened in the fridge. Pairs with hard sheep's-milk cheeses, prosciutto, or stirred into Greek yoghurt.