Salami Wrapped Melon With Candied Fennel, Anise, Coriander and Pink Peppercorns
- Details
This easy and refreshing starter is a playful take on the favorite Italian appetizer, Prosciutto e Melone. Featuring Finocchiona Salami and Salumi Salami from our friends at Salumi Cured Meats, we finish it all off with colorful, crunchy and exquisite candied anise, fennel, Indian coriander and pink peppercorns. The salty savoriness of the salami is a perfect compliment to the super sweet melon.
You’ll want a completely ripe melon for this dish, so look for melon skins that are firm and free of bruising or soft spots. The stem end should not be green, and the end of the melon opposite of the stem should have a nice strong pleasant aroma.
A great offering for the upcoming Labor Day BBQ’s and picnics. Enjoy!
Candied Fennel, Anise and Coriander Seeds
Ingredients
- 1 melon - cantaloupe (aka muskmelon) or any other ripe variety at your local market
- 10-15 slices of salami, thinly sliced
For Candied Seeds
- 1/4 cup pink peppercorns
- 1/4 cup toasted fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup toasted anise seeds
- 1/4 cup toasted Indian coriander seeds
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
For the Candied Seeds:
- Toast fennel, anise and Indian coriander seeds, lightly, in a dry skillet. Transfer to a plate.
- Put sugar, water and butter in a saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Once the sugar dissolves, increase heat and boil for about 2 minutes (or until the liquid is thick and syrupy.
- Remove from heat and add the baking soda, toasted seeds and pink peppercorns. Mix rapidly to coat seeds and peppercorns with syrup.
- Pour mixture on a parchment lined cookie sheet, pressing them lightly to separate.
- Allow to cool completely and they are ready to use with the melon recipe.
For the Melon:
- Slice melon in half and remove seeds
- Using a melon baller, scoop out the melon balls
- Place melon balls atop a lovely slice of salami and secure with a toothpick
- Sprinkle each melon ball with the candied seeds and pink peppercorns
- Arrange on a platter and serve
Coriander Cures Spring Fever
At a time of year when the thought of cooking another winter squash is too much to bear, and the shoots of green aren’t quite tall enough for harvest yet (where IS that asparagus, anyway???), …
Sri Lankan Banh Mi
The World Spice Cookbook Club is grilling, steaming and frying at the August 2015 Meet & Eat. We are all cooking from Andrea Nguyen’s classic Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More and her …
African Peanut Soup with Grains of Paradise
This West African soup recipe combines sweet potatoes and peanut butter with Grains of Paradise. The flavors balance beautifully and are a wonderful showcase for this exotic spice. This mythical African spice has a mild …
Pakhlava
We were thrilled to feature Olia Hercules‘ new book Kaukasis: A Culinary Journey through Georgia, Azerbaijan and Beyond for our March 2017 Cookbook Club selection and continue to revisit these amazing recipes. Full of stunning …
Pink Peppercorn and Ginger Poached Pears
Here’s a show-stopping dessert from from My Two Souths and Chef Asha Gomez. Based on her love of pears here in the US, this gorgeous Pink Peppercorn and Ginger Poached Pears recipe had us eagerly awaiting …
Leave a Comment