I love a big stinky melon. Yes, that musk melon that you can smell before you even get to the farmstand, it’s calling my name. It’s time to revel in melons, when the sun has bestowed full on sugary ripeness to all those fat fruits that have been baking in it since spring. Throw in some perfectly ripened peaches, bursting with juice, and you have yourself a real celebration of the end of summer.
It’s the best time of year to simply grill some corn and throw together a fruit salad, leaving your kitchen blessedly cool. But is your fruit salad getting a little boring? I know, it’s all about the great fruit, but does yogurt, or mayo, or some other creamy dressing seem to have lost it’s zing?
I was feeling a little need for something new, so I opted for a different kind of creamy: creamy coconut milk. Whisking in a little peanut butter gives it some nutty weight, and balancing some spicy, tart and sweet in the dressing really complements the fruit. A handful of Thai Basil for an herbal kick, and I had a whole new way to enjoy fruit.
It’s pretty mild, you can add a few chiles, or more Sriracha, if you want a little kick. But I sure loved my big fat melon with a new taste sensation.
Keep it simple, enjoy the end of Summer, and dig in!
Thai-Inspired Melon-Peach Salad with Thai Basil
Serves 4
1/2 large cantaloupe
2 large peach
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup peanut butter, creamy
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
1 pinch salt
1 handful Thai Basil
Slice the fruit. In a small bowl or cup, whisk the coconut milk and peanut butter until smooth. Stir in lime, palm sugar, ginger, Sriracha and salt. Sliver some basil for the salad, garnish with more sprigs.
