Melon Prosciutto Salad with Mint basil Vinaigrette

Summertime is a great time to try out some new salad recipes.  No one wants to heat up the kitchen when it is hot outside.  This is a different kind of salad but it is a nice change from a traditional salad.

It is very easy to throw together. It looks pretty on the plate too.  The recipe calls for using watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew but I only used cantaloupe.  If you have the others on hand by all means use them too. 

 We are going to start by mixing the dressing so it has time to sit and the flavors have time to marry.

 Start with about 1/2 cup of fresh basil

 1/2 cup fresh mint

 1 garlic clove.  Blend all in a food processor.

 zest of one lemon

 juice of one lemon

 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.  (I doubled the recipe)

1 Tablespoon honey.  Blend well in the processor.  Then store in a container until you are ready to use.  This salad you can have all the parts made ahead of time then put together when ready to serve.

 Now to make my melon balls.  Clean out your melon.

 Then using a melon baller start making melons.

 I made mine ahead of time and stored until ready to use.

 Wash your baby arugula leaves and then add strips of prosciutto and pearl sized mozzarella balls to the greens along with the melon balls.

When you dish it up you can add the dressing before hand or dress it when you dip it up. It makes a pretty dish.

Melon Prosciutto Salad with Mint Basil Vinaigrette Recipe

For the Salad
melons of your choice
1 container pearl sized mozzarella balls
8-10 slices prosciutto torn into pieces
4 cups baby arugula

For the Dressing
1/2 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil