Savory Cantaloupe

 

  Every so often, maybe every other month, I host a little get together for a group of my dearest friends. Sometimes it's a movie night, sometimes it's a bonfire night, or my favorite.. Christmas Tree Decorating. And as with any party, I love love LOVE to come up with new menu ideas. I love to give myself the personal challenge of coming up with something new for each dinner. 

 So, recently, I was planning for our Summer Hang, and I had already set the menu: Corn on the cob, Jersey tomato Caprese salad, Chicken skewers, and some roasted peppers as an appetizer. Nothing too fancy. But all delicious and definitely SUMMER. 

 And then, literally the day before our dinner, I happened to see a short video from Ayesha Nurdjaja. If you're not familiar, she's often seen on different Food Networks shows, most notably as one of the Titans on Bobby's Triple Threat. Anyway, I happened to see a video of her making this savory cantaloupe.

 As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to add it to my menu.. mainly because I knew it would be the perfect thing for my summer menu, but also because I love cantaloupe, especially when it's sprinkled with a little salt! This recipe takes that idea and runs with it. It's sweet, it's savory, it's tart, it's SO refreshing, and it has just a little spicy hit at the end. Nothing to burn my face off, but just the tiniest little poke. FABULOUS. I decided to serve it as an appetizer, but it's perfect as a little summer snack, or even as a palate cleanser between courses. 

  If you like cantaloupe, you simply MUST give this one a try. It was a HUGE hit with my friends, and it'll be a hit for you too!! SO good!

 

  

Fresh ripe cantaloupe

Olive oil

Fresh lime juice

Honey 

Fresh mint leaves

Tajin seasoning

Sea salt 

 

Basically, everything is to taste. 

Slice your cantaloupe into wedges. Place them on a serving plate. 

Stir together the oil, lime juice, and honey. Drizzle the dressing over the cantaloupe.

Sprinkle with chopped mint, Tajin, and salt.

That's it!

 

Tips:

I think the key to this recipe is the Tajin seasoning. If you're not familiar, it's a spice blend that is kind of like a mild chili powder with salt and dehydrated lime juice. It's FABULOUS. Put it on anything!

One of Ayesha's tips was to make sure your cantaloupe is well chilled. She said It has to be COLD! That makes it all the more refreshing.  

She also used the zest of the lime, but I just used the juice. I'm guessing she just drizzled everything over the cantaloupe, but I whisked the dressing together first and then gave it a quick taste to see if I needed to adjust the sweetness. 

I served mine with the rind still on, making it easy to just pick it up with your hands and take a bite, but feel free to remove the rind if you're so inclined.