Cantaloupe Salad in the Rind

This dish was one of those perfect food moments. It’d be perfect without the piggy too. You can’t beat the combination of sweet, spicy, floral and lime

Ingredients:
 Cantaloupe, fresh from the farm
Purple Basil
Red Pepper flakes
Lime zest and juice
Feta Cheese
Thinly cut Jamon Serrano
Ojai Mandarine Olive oil
Balsamic reduction drizzle
Salt and Pepper to taste
How to create perfection in a shell:
Use a melon baller and carefully carve out the melon without damaging the rind. Scrape the remaining melon and save the shell of the rind for the last steps. Combine the melon balls in a large bowl with the thinly diced purple basil, red pepper flakes- until desired heat, lime zest and juice of the lime, mandarine olive oil, couple pinches of salt and pepper. Mix well until combined.  Add feta, mix lightly. Fill cantaloupe salad into shells, add jamon serrano and drizzle of balsamic reduction. Garnish with more basil.
cantaloupe salad