Pickled Melon with Prosciutto, Basil and Mint

Set a colander over a bowl. Cut the cantaloupe in half and scoop out the seeds. Using a melon baller, scoop out the flesh, letting the fruit and any juices fall into the colander.

Measure the liquid that collected in the bowl. You should have about 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml); if not, add enough water to equal 1/4 cup. If you have more, discard the rest or reserve for another use. Pour the melon juice into a heavy saucepan and add the sugar, vinegar and 1/4 tsp. salt. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring once or twice, until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup comes to a boil. Boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes, then let cool for 10 minutes.

Put the melon balls in a bowl and pour in the syrup. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours.

To serve, arrange the prosciutto slices in ruffles on a serving platter. Using a slotted spoon, remove the melon balls from the syrup and arrange in clusters over the prosciutto. Scatter the basil and mint on top, season with a few grindings of pepper and serve. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams Sonoma Rustic Italian, by Domenica Marchetti (Weldon Owen, 2015)