This is hardly a recipe, but the ingredients really matter. This is an appetizer that takes a fabulous ingredient and highlights it. This is also a finger food that can stretch your dollar. You don’t need a lot of this prosciutto to go a long way. If you are having a dinner party serve this as your salad course. For a cocktail party, cut the melon smaller and add a toothpick to make it a finger food.
If you add the endive cru and a couple tartines as well as some olives, fancy crackers, some cheeses if you like and a couple of the frozen appetizers from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Bakers Best then you have a great menu for a cocktail party. Just add ice and beverages.
For a holiday open house add some platters of crudites with dips (this is easy to do yourself or if you’re crunched for time you can buy it prepared), skewers of fruit, and some cookies or bars for dessert. To drink, throw a pot of apple cider on the stove with some spice. You can have one pot for the under 21 crowd and another spiked for those in need.
Cantaloupe & Prosciutto
Buy one great cantaloupe.
For a dinner party, get six slices of Prosciutto di San Daniele
For a larger party get 10 – 12 slices (Ask the deli to let you taste some of the local proscuittos and you may find one you like at a fraction of the price.)
I find it easiest to cut the cantaloupe in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and then using a knife, slice the skin off of the cantaloupe.
Slice the cantaloupe into crescent slices for a dinner party. The rest of the cantaloupe can be cubed for the little ones to snack on. Take a slice of prosciutto and cut it in half lengthwise. I just pull it apart and it usually splits naturally somewhat down the middle. Then either gather it atop the crescent cantaloupe slice or wrap it around the fruit.
For a cocktail party just make rectangular cubes of the cantaloupe and gather small strips of the prosciutto on top. Then skewer them together with a toothpick and serve on plate.
Bon appetit. ttyl your BFF (Boston Family Foodie)
For more info: Produce Picker Blogcast, Down Home Prosciutto, NY TImes looks at Country Ham and Prosciutto, Hot Spiked Apple Cider