I made this beautiful salad on New Year’s Day and will definitely make it again. It was full of flavor, with herbs, a delicious dressing, and a little ricotta salata. Easy and super fresh. The recipe is from one of my favorite sources for inventive, healthy meals, Athena Calderone’s Eyeswoon.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cantaloupe — seeded, rind removed, sliced into 1/4” half moon slices
• 4 Persian cucumbers — cut into cubed wedges on the bias ( I used 2 mini cucumbers)
• 1/4 red onion — sliced thin on mandolin
• 1 Serrano chili — sliced thin on mandolin
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzle
• 1/2 cup marcona almonds — toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon sumac, plus more for finishing ( I skipped this, as I didn’t have any on hand)
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
• Ricotta salata — shaved thin with vegetable peeler
• Fresh herbs — basil, mint, cilantro
• Flaky sea salt
• Fresh pepper

Directions:

Salad:

Build this salad on the plate, from the bottom up. Begin with the cantaloupe half moons and layer cucumbers, red onion, and chili rounds atop. 

Vinaigrette:

In a medium bowl combine juice from two limes and zest from one with vinegar and honey. Slowly stream in olive oil. Season with flaky salt.

Spiced Marcona:

In a mortar and pestle combine almonds, sumac, and Aleppo. Smack together to a chunky consistency. Add a drizzle of olive oil, combine. 

To Finish:

Drizzle salad with vinaigrette dressing. Finish with a sprinkle of spiced nut mixture, shaved ricotta salata, torn herbs, a sprinkle of sumac, lime zest, salt, and pepper.