Melon and Mozzarella Salad with Crispy Prosciutto

I have fond summer memories of helping my grandparents scoop melon balls from the cantaloupes they had picked from their garden. This weekend I picked up some melons from a local farm stand and couldn’t wait to try them. The classic pairing of sweet melon and salty prosciutto are balanced perfectly in this salad with buttery mozzarella, tart blueberries and peppery arugula. Yum!

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or line with a silicone baking mat. Lay slices on prosciutto on the prepared baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.

2. Meanwhile, place melon in a large mixing bowl. Add blueberries and fresh mozzarella balls and stir to combine.

3. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, honey, white balsamic and salt. Add dressing and fresh basil to melon/mozzarella mixture and stir to combine.

4. To serve, lay a bed of arugula onto each serving plate. Top with desired amount of marinated melon and mozzarella. Break crispy prosciutto into small pieces and sprinkle on top of each salad. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper.

Melon and Mozzarella Salad with Crispy Prosciutto

Serves 4

All you need:

3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto

2 cups balled melon (I used a combo of cantaloupe and honeydew)

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 (8 ounce) container fresh mozzarella ciliegine (small mozzarella balls), drained

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

8 cups baby arugula

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or line with a silicone baking mat. Lay slices on prosciutto on the prepared baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.
2. Meanwhile, place melon in a large mixing bowl. Add blueberries and fresh mozzarella balls and stir to combine.
3. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, honey, white balsamic and salt. Add dressing and fresh basil to melon/mozzarella mixture and stir to combine.
4. To serve, lay a bed of arugula onto each serving plate. Top with desired amount of marinated melon and mozzarella. Break crispy prosciutto into small pieces and sprinkle on top of each salad. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper.