Cantaloupe and Cheese Appetizer Recipe
I love Emmentaler cheese. It has mild, fruity and nutty attributes, which pair incredibly well with fruit. One fruit it particularly works well with is cantaloupe. Since I had both on hand, I caramelized the cantaloupe in a little butter and then alternately skewered it with cubes of Emmentaler on cocktail picks. I finished the cute bites with crushed pistachios.
These cheese appetizers are easy to prepare and get devoured amazingly fast too. They would fit quite well in a buffet style party. Even if you aren’t planning a party, take advantage of the wonderful fruit that's currently in season, because summer won’t be here forever!
Ingredients
Yields: 24 appetizers
½ ripe, sweet cantaloupe1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons wild flower honey (or any other sweetener)
24 (1-inch) cubes Emmentaler cheese (or Gruyère cheese)
12 thin slices beef salami (optional), halved
¼ cup salted pistachios, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh dill (optional), chopped
Directions
Using a melon baller, form 24 small balls of cantaloupe.
In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the cantaloupe. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes. Drizzle with honey. Toss well. Let cook until caramelized. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.
Roll a halved salami slice (if used) and thread a cube of Emmentaler cheese on one side of the cold cut meat and a round of cantaloupe on the other side onto a party pick. Use the cube of cheese as the base of the appetizer and place onto a serving platter. Repeat until all the cheese, salami and fruit are used.
Sprinkle with the crushed pistachios.
Garnish with dill.
Serve at room temperature.
Bon appétit!
Tips
For a salty note, I fold in a thin slice of cold cut meat between the cube of cheese and the fruit round. Plus, it creates a beautiful range of colors for an appealing presentation.
I created the cubes using a vegetable carving knife (you don't have to cut them this way; I just think it's pretty).
The appetizers are equally delicious with honeydew in place of the cantaloupe.
For a veggie version, I would suggest to sprinkle the cantaloupe with a pinch of coarse sea salt.
Published By: on August 26, 2011.
