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Fresh melons are in season, and they are more delicious than ever. I recently discovered the charentais melon, and I can hardly stop eating it, it that good! In addition to having it on its own, and in a fruit salad, I decided to use it on top of a bed of tender greens, pairing it with cucumber, and spicy slices of pickled jalapeño, topping it off with the woodsy crunch of pine nuts. Fresh, cooling, unique, and delicious, this is going to be my “go to” salad of the summer.
Melon and Cucumber Salad with Jalapeño and Pine Nuts
½ c. cup olive oil
¼ c. Champagne vinegar
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. kosher salt
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground cardamom
½ large Melissa’s charentais melon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cucumber, sliced into quarters ¼” thick
1 Melissa’s pickled jalapeño, thinly sliced
½ c. toasted Melissa’s pine nuts
¼ c. chopped mint
Mixed greens (for serving)
Violently whisk oil, vinegar, coriander, salt, pepper, and cardamom in a large bowl. Add cantaloupe, cucumber, and pickled jalapeño, and toss to coat in dressing. Let sit, uncovered, 15 minutes.
To serve, add pine nuts and mint to salad and toss gently to
combine. Serve on bed of mixed greens.
