Melon, Ham and Mozzarella Salad

What a perfect dish to salute summer! A simple, no-fuss salad that is sure to satisfy the most demanding foodie. Traditional fresh mozzarella is usually sold in containers of brine, shaped into delicate balls. Fresh mozzarella can be purchased in Italian specialty shops, cheese markets, and some natural foods and grocery stores. Originally made from the milk of water buffalo, and called mozzarella di bufala, mozzarella is now most often made from cows’ milk, and is referred to as fior di latte. However, once you’ve experienced buffalo mozzarella, there’s a big difference in taste and personally I enjoy buffalo mozzarella over fior di latte . Parma ham is a type of dry-cured ham from the Parma region of Italy. It is one of the most well-known varieties of prosciutto crudo.

Serves 2
recipe from TasteItalia magazine

1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium Cantaloupe melon
6 slices of Parma ham
6 baby balls or 1 large ball of Mozzarella di Bufala
handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
50-75g rocket
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the lemon juice and olive oil together in a bowl and season lightly. Cut the melon into thick slices, then remove and discard the seeds, retaining as much of the juice as possible. Cut the flesh into large chunks and place in a bowl. Tear or cut the ham into wide strips. Break the small mozzarella balls in half or if you are using a large ball cut it into thick slices. Add the Parma ham and mozzarella to the melon. Add parsley to half of the lemon and oil dressing and toss this well with the melon mixture.

Wash the rocket leaves and dress them with the remaining lemon and oil mixture. Divide the rocket between two large plates, top with the melon salad and serve immediately.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: So light and fresh with flavors that shout summer is here! It’s important to use Buffalo mozzarella as this cheese is very soft with a stringy texture when torn apart (what I did for this salad) and it’s this texture that helps give the salad a creamy taste. Enjoy!