Melon Salad with Prosciutto

Summer is fleeting and goes by at the speed of light. I can say that now that we're not living in the land of perpetual heat never mind endless summer and boy does it ever feel good too! I love it here on the Oregon Coast. Oh, have I told you that before?

This gorgeous salad is perfect for a sunny summer day because not only it is light, filling and refreshing, it also takes advantage of the abundance of good things available this time of year. Adapted from Cooking Light magazine, I pretty well followed the recipe as given except that I left out the serrano pepper and used a melon baller to make round orbs of honeydew and seedless watermelon rather than the slices they recommend. Hey, my melons were really ripe and didn't look so great in slices but the balls were beautiful. 

Anyway mixed with a simple vinaigrette of lemon juice, olive oil and honey and piled on a plate of peppery arugula along with nectarine wedges and paper thin slices of red onion, the salad's garnished with salty romano cheese and prosciutto.

A side of moist and decadent sour cream scones (I'll tell you about those later) and our light meal left just the right amount of space for a ramekin each of black plum cobbler, warm from the oven. Hit the link and head to the recipe for the cobbler  HERE.

Melon Salad with Prosciutto (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Cooking Light magazine)

Juice of 1 large lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-1/2 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 small seeded watermelon

1/2 honeydew melon

1/3 cup paper thin slices red onion

2 ripe nectarines, cut into wedges

4 cups arugula, washed and dried

Handful fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped

3 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

1/2 ounce Romano cheese, shaved

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, honey and salt in a screw top jar. Shake well to incorporate and set aside. Using a melon baller, cut watermelon and honeydew into balls and place into medium bowl. Add onion and nectarines. Toss lightly with vinaigrette.

Place arugula onto 4 plates and divide fruit mixture between them. Top with mint leaves, prosciutto slices and Romano cheese. Makes 4 servings. 

A year ago - Salmon Spread with Horseradish

Two year's ago - Polenta Tamale Torte

Comments

[Lea M. Callais]

That is my kind of salad - I love fruit and ham and cheese!!!!

[June]

Lea - mine too. I could eat this one twice a day, every day it is that good.

[Lorraine]

Although it is overcast and raining the fruit this time of year just needs to be utilized. Beautiful salad. What, not chili?

[June]

Thanks Lorraine - we passed the red pepper flakes because one of our guests is allergic to pepper. Poor thing - she wouldn't survive long in this house although I sure tried hard to bring her no harm.