Fruit salad never tasted so good!”
Melon means summer. So does fresh herbs. This Giada De Laurentiis recipe combines melon and mint to produce a summer fresh fruit salad that stands far above the rest.
Our garden is full of mint. It grows wild, and is a perennial that spreads, so each year our abundance increases. I used to fight it, but it turns out, most animals, especially deer, don’t like it’s fragrance and since I can use all the help I can get keeping the wildlife away from my plants, I just let it grow. I also found that it was much easier to find new recipes and ways to use the mint, than to try and fight its invasive ways. One of those recipes I found was this melon salad with mint.
This recipe is delicious, can be made in advance, and sure beats any fruit salad from a store! It is perfect for a Sunday brunch or as a light, refreshing, summer dessert.
Melon Salad with Mint & Amaretto
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh mint chopped
- 1/4 cup lemon juice from about 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup simple syrup recipe follows
- 1/8 teaspoon amaretto
- 2 cups watermelon balls from about half a watermelon
- 2 cups cantaloupe balls from about 1 cantaloupe
Simple Syrup:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- In a blender, combine mint, lemon juice, simple syrup, and amaretto. Blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the watermelon and the cantaloupe. Add the vinaigrette and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
Simple Syrup:
- In a saucepan, combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
