Late Summer Cantaloupe Meal
As we round the corner to Labor Day weekend, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the bounty of the season. Farmers markets and grocery stores are piled high with summer’s spoils — including, of course, cantaloupes. The cantaloupes you find this time of year are incredibly sweet and juicy, the perfect antidote to late summer’s warm weather.
In honor of Labor Day, here’s an outdoor-friendly meal that’s perfect for the season. It’s guest-worthy, but why not treat yourself?
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This non-alcoholic drink is refreshing by itself, but you could make it an adult beverage with a splash of vodka. Here’s a tip: Freeze the solids leftover from making the cantaloupe juice and add to a smoothie.
Cantaloupe-Ginger Fizz
Adapted from HGTV
Makes 8 drinks
½ cantaloupe, rind removed and seeded, cut into chunks
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup water
6-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh is best)
Club soda
Cantaloupe wedges and ginger rounds, for garnish
Puree the cantaloupe pieces in a food processor, then transfer to a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Drain until the juice has separated from the solids in the strainer. Set the juice aside.
Bring the sugar, water and ginger to a boil in a small saucepan, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, then remove the ginger pieces and discard.
Once cool, stir the ginger sugar syrup into the cantaloupe juice. Fill four 8-ounce glasses with ice. Fill each glass halfway with the cantaloupe mixture, then top with club soda. Garnish with cantaloupe and ginger.
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Our Cantaloupe and Baked Brie is incredibly easy — and impressive. This versatile combination can be used as an appetizer, which is what we would suggest for this meal, but it also can work as a dessert: Just substitute candied nuts for the nuts listed in the recipe. Get the full instructions here.
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Cantaloupe Scallop Salad makes for a tasty, light summer entrée. The richness of the avocado pairs perfectly with the smooth sweetness of the cantaloupe and the delicate-yet-crunchy seared scallops, and the tequila-spiked dressing packs a punch. Don’t forget to wash your cantaloupe before cutting into it!
Cantaloupe Scallop Salad
Serves 4
For the salad:
12 scallops
1 avocado, cut into large, diced pieces
½ cantaloupe, flesh removed with a melon baller
8 cups mixed salad greens
Olive oil
For the dressing/marinade:
¼ cup tequila
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons chopped cilantro
In a medium bowl, mix all of the marinade ingredients together. Remove half of the marinade and transfer to another bowl. Add the scallops into the second bowl and let them marinade for 10 minutes.
Drizzle olive oil into a frying pan over medium heat. Add the marinated scallops and cook until the scallops are golden on each side. Remove the scallops from heat.
In a large bowl, toss the cantaloupe, avocado, and dressing together. Set aside.
To serve, add two cups of salad greens to four individual plates. Divide the cantaloupe and avocado mixture evenly between the plates. Arrange three cooked scallops on top of each salad, then serve.
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Sure, you’ve had chocolate cream pie and coconut cream pie — but cantaloupe cream pie? We bet you’ve never seen anything like this delicious twist on an old favorite. It’s sure to become a recipe box staple. Don’t forget to leave your cantaloupe in the refrigerator until right before you’re ready to use it. Get the full recipe here.
