Insalata Di Melone E Prosciutto Croccante Con Formaggio Di Capra

Insalata di Melone e Prosciutto Croccante con Formaggio di Capra

No, I did now not just sneak off to Italy with out telling you. I haven’t even received any new Italian cookbooks recently. It must just be something about the recent combination of very un-Scottish summer season warmth and the sticky-sweaty stupor it induces that compels me to seem for  to other sun-soaked locations for culinary inspiration. As you realize, it began closing week with gelato. Nonetheless no longer instruct to leave Italy after handiest one direction (even if it changed into as soon as dessert), I’ve determined to linger a minute longer and no longer lower than admire something conventional of the other discontinuance of an Italian summertime meal.

What I came across myself craving changed into as soon as the illustrious sweet-salty and coronary heart-breakingly savory combination of prosciutto e melone, which is exclusively for trip the admire Italian name for cured ham and melon. It looks luxuriate in a deceptively simple dish, nonetheless luxuriate in a valid gelato, it’s easy to cease it infamous. Too repeatedly I’ve had melon that wasn’t rather ripe, and prosciutto that changed into as soon as demanding and stringy or overpoweringly salty. The prosciutto in particular is where eating locations veritably skimp, substituting cheaper versions that lack the complexity and texture of the highest price stuff. Right prosciutto di Parma is salt-cured and air-dried for as a lot as eighteen months before sale, resulting in a delicacy that whereas no longer cheap, embodies the very essence of ‘tiring meals’. And when prosciutto e melone is performed appropriate, it’s a nothing quick of a revelation: rindless wedges of ice chilly, impossibly sweet summer season melon, every swathed luxuriate in a newborn minute one in folds of butter-relaxed and nutty prosciutto, relaxed and supple ample to indulge in with a spoon. Nothing else adorns this dish because nothing needs to; the ingredients whole every other luxuriate in yin and yang, bread and butter, barbecue and beer.

 

That mentioned, I’ve always believed meals would maybe perhaps unruffled be stress-free, and frequently there’s no bigger thrill than taking something sacred and turning it on its head. I saw a recipe for a salad equivalent to this one in a meals journal which attempted to play on each and each the total melon-feta affinity and the prosciutto and melon style marriage. I tried it out and came across it to be too overwhelming – the melon’s subtle physique spray and sweetness changed into as soon as bullied into imperceptability by the saltiness of every and each prosciutto and feta. The second time I tried it I stored the prosciutto nonetheless axed the feta in desire of a cozy relaxed goat’s cheese, which modified all the pieces. It’s a savory look for in contrasts: the chilly juicy melon, the creamy relaxed cheese, the crisp salty prosciutto, and all the pieces enhanced by a sweet and tangy balsamic-honey French dressing. I’ve even pulled an Emeril and ‘kicked it up a notch’ with a minute sprinkle of spirited chili. It for trip won’t change the distinctive, nonetheless it makes a refreshingly completely different and altogether mighty dazzling replace formula to beat the warmth.

Insalata di Melone e Prosciutto Croccante con Formaggio di Capra

serves: 4

1 tiny ripe melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, charentais, galia…)

1/2 lb./200g relaxed relaxed goat cheese

4 oz./100g prosciutto (you would possibly perhaps be ready to replace every other cured European ham)

For French dressing:

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

pinch sizzling chili powder

pinch salt

freshly ground sunless pepper

Halve the melon, scoop out the seeds and lower away the rind. Slit as thinly as doable (a mandoline, if you would possibly perhaps presumably presumably also very neatly be fortunate ample to beget one, would maybe be just the designate), into prolonged flat ribbons.

Lay the prosciutto or pancetta in a nonstick pan and switch the warmth on to medium. Cook, flipping as soon as, until the stout is rendered out and the prosciutto is crispy (stumble on it moderately as it with out peril burns). Put apart to empty on paper towels.

Mix collectively the French dressing factors. Arrange the melon on plates, collapse the goat cheese and prosciutto over the tip, and drizzle with the French dressing. Serve straight.

[Update: this photo has been entered placed first in the July 2005 edition of Does My Blog Look Good in This?, hosted by Andrew at Spittoon! A big thanks to the judges and be sure to check out the other fantastic photos!]