Fall

Melon, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella Appetizer with a Mint Melon Dressing

by:
June  3, 2012
4.5
2 Ratings
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Serves 2 portions, but the size of the melon will determine how many servings
Author Notes

Most often we serve prosciutto wrapped melon slices, but I was wondering what would the inverse be - a cherry sized mozzarella ball wrapped in prosciutto wrapped in melon. I found an antique ice cream scooper at my parents' house, and used it to do my best to scoop out rather large melon balls. I then used a 1-inch melon ball scooper to make a circle in the middle of the melon ball in which to place the meat-wrapped mozzarella. A minted dressing made from the scooped out melon and its juices makes a refreshing and pretty addition. Reverse engineering a commonplace appetizer and using scooped out melon to add to the vinaigrette makes this an easy appetizer - as well as a salad - with increased melon flavor. —Bevi

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Ingredients
  • To Assemble the Melon Wrapped Appetizer
  • 1 ripe melon - honeydew, cantaloupe, or your favorite variety
  • Pinch sea salt and ground black pepper
  • Handful Mozzarella Ciliegine (cherry sized balls)
  • 3 or 4 slices prosciutto, sliced again lengthwise into thirds or halves, to wrap around each mozzarella ball
  • large handfuls salad greens of your choice
  • For the Melon Dressing
  • scooped out 1-inch melon balls
  • juice from the melon
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 mint leaf per melon ball - I used chocolate mint
  • salt and white pepper if needed
Directions
  1. To Assemble the Melon Wrapped Appetizer
  2. Use a 2-inch ice cream scooper to scoop out large melon balls. They may not be perfectly round balls, but you will set the "good" rounded side up. Place balls on a large plate to work on. Use a 1-inch melon scooper to scoop out a crater on the top of the larger melon balls. Set the scooped out pulp aside for the dressing.
  3. Quickly pass a pinch of salt over the prepared melon.
  4. Wrap the mozzarella balls with the prosciutto slices, and place a cheese ball in each melon crater.
  5. Place the prepared melon on a bed of greens on salad plates.
  1. For the Melon Dressing
  2. Place all the ingredients except salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until the dressing is thoroughly liquified. Use more melon juice if necessary. Taste to see if you want to add a little salt and pepper.
  3. Spoon the dressing over the melon balls and greens.

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Recipe by: Bevi

Cooking is an important part of my past. I grew up and worked on our family resort. These days, I cook good food to please my friends and family.

2 Reviews

inpatskitchen June 6, 2012
This is just gorgeous! ( and extremely creative! )
Bevi June 6, 2012
Thanks, Pat! The fresh mint is so good and adds a great flavor.