Cantaloupe & Watermelon Salad with Prosciutto

Of the many elements of cooking I have most enjoyed learning about balance.  The underlying element of any perfect dish, balance is what occurs when flavors are paired and contrasted against one-another, when textures combine to make your tongue dance and your taste buds tingle.  Balance is achieved when every type of taste is attended to, the sensory scale of the eating experience complete.
I can’t help but think the achievement of balance is what brought cantaloupe and prosciutto together.  This salty-sweet pairing, a classic case of opposites attract, has been a staple of the Italian table for years and it was the first thing that came to my mind when I picked up my weekly CSA basket from Pavel, complete with one cantaloupe and one small yellow watermelon.  Seeds removed and cut into cubes, these late-summer offerings brought beautiful color to the plate along with two different textures, the cantaloupe offering a meatier-bite of understated sweetness while the watermelon bursts alive with that incomparably satisfying crispness.  Paper-thin slices of prosciutto weave their way around each delicate piece of fruit while crispy flecks of the Italian ham shower from above, giving crunch and an extra shot of salt.  Set atop a bed of whipped goat cheese and lemon, the dish is brought together with a refreshing kick.  Ideal as a lite lunch or a first course, this dish is a feast for the senses and not one to be missed as summer comes to a beautiful close.

Isn’t this yellow watermelon beautiful?  Don’t let the color fool you – it tastes almost exactly the same as it’s pinker sibling and is equally as delicious when juiced for spicy watermelon margaritas!  Your standard-variety watermelon will work perfectly in this dish as well and is an excellent compliment to the cantaloupe.  Removing all of the seeds, cut the watermelon and cantaloupe into cubes.  You will need approximately one and one half cups of each.  Set aside.

Crispy prosciutto is one of my favorite textural toppings.  A fancier version of bacon-bits, they couldn’t be easier to create.  Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees and lay out two pieces of thinly-sliced prosciutto on a sheet tray and roast for 10-12 minutes until crisp.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

While the prosciutto is cooling, place four ounces of room temperature goat cheese in a stand mixer (it is very important that the goat cheese is at room temp).  Add the juice of one half of a lemon and one quarter tsp freshly ground black pepper to the goat cheese.  Using the whisk attachment, whip the cheese on medium speed until it becomes lighter and a bit airy, for about five minutes.

Using a spoon, place one dollop of the goat cheese into the center of a plate.  Take the back of the spoon and spread the cheese into a line, stretching from one end of the plate to the other.

Alternating the fruit, line the pieces of watermelon and cantaloupe on top of the goat cheese, layering  pieces of the fresh prosciutto in between each cube.  You will use one slice of prosciutto per serving.

Turning to the roasted prosciutto, crumble the cooled slices into small pieces, sprinkling them over top of the fruit.  Garnish with freshly chopped basil and enjoy!

Serves Four

• one and one half cups watermelon, seeds removed and cubed
• one and one half cups cantaloupe, seeds removed and cubed
• three ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
• four ounces room temperature goat cheese
• juice from one half lemon
• one quarter tsp freshly ground black pepper
• freshly chopped basil for garnish