Oh, Martha!

Have you ever had the experience of putting on a coat or a pair of pants and finding money in the pocket? Well, I kind of get that same feeling when I go through my cookbook collection and find a book with amazing recipes that I forgot I had. I'm in the process of moving, and last week, while going through cookbooks, I stumbled upon this long lost gem:

I seriously heart Martha (and wish I had her crafting skills), but in the past, we've had some differences in taste when it comes to cooking. I was skeptical to give our relationship another try, but let me tell you, I'm glad I did. I've been in a "salad rut" for months, and this book was the first step in digging myself out of it. Behold, my new love:

Cantaloupe and Bocconcini Salad with Mint
Adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart

Serves: 4 appetizer salad portions  Prep: 15 minutes

1 ripe cantaloupe
8 ounces bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls) or  2 cups of fresh mozzarella cut into uneven cubes, drained of any excess liquid
4 slices of prosciutto
1 lemon (sliced in half)
3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
3 Tbsp torn mint leaves, saving extra mint for garnish

1. Cut the cantaloupe in half and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Then, scoop the cantaloupe into 1-inch balls with a melon baller. If you do not have a melon baller, simply cut the melon into bite sized chunks.

2. In a large bowl, gently combine the cantaloupe, bocconcini, prosciutto, 1/2 of a lemons worth of juice, basil, salt, and pepper to taste.  (Tip: As mentioned, make sure, especially if you bought bocconcini, that you drain it of any excess liquid before putting it in the salad. Otherwise you'll have a runny salad. Also some bocconcini are lager that others, so if you buy the larger ones that aren't quite "bite sized", just cut them in half before putting them in the salad.)

3. Portion salad onto plates. Sprinkle each salad with 1/2 tsp. torn mint leaves (a little mint goes a long way).

4. Garnish the salad with extra un-torn mint leaves. Cut the unused half of your lemon into wedges and use as a garnish as well.

When you finish, you end up with something looking like this:

(I would have taken a picture of my variation, but I didn't think of it until I was looking at an empty plate)

This recipe is not only a delicious salad, but it's a great way to take advantage of produce that is in season. And, as always, an added bonus is that when produce is in season it's often less expensive and tastes better. 

So, pour yourself an extra large glass of chilled white wine and enjoy your impressive salad by eating alfresco or sitting in front of your AC unit- it's hot, ok?