Melon with lime and chile
This refreshing snack is perfect on a hot day.
Warm summer days need cool, refreshing snacks, and this one hits the spot: sweet melon wedges with a little lime juice, salt, and just a hint of spice. Cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelons aren’t the only available melon options. Check out your local farmers market for other varieties, such as Charentais, Piel de Sapo, and Crenshaw. Each of these melons is surprisingly distinct and delicious.
This recipe includes an additional cut along the rind, which is a useful way to serve the melon wedges, especially for a dinner party. Freeing most of the melon from the rind makes it less messy to eat.
Servings: 8 to 10
Ingredients
- 1 large, ripe melon (ask the person selling the melons how to find the ripest one)
- 1 to 2 limes (buy ones with thin-appearing skin — these are the juiciest)
- A few pinches of chile powder (try cayenne, ancho, pasilla, or a blend), to taste
- A few pinches of coarse salt
Directions
- If time permits, place the whole melon in the refrigerator to chill a couple of hours ahead of time. Once cold, use a long knife to cut the melon in half lengthwise through the stem and root ends.
- With a spoon, scoop out the seeds. Cut each melon half into 8 long wedges.
- On a cutting board, roll the limes with a little force and then slice them in half. This method will give you more juice.
- Arrange the melon wedges on a serving platter and douse them with a few good squeezes of lime juice.
- Sprinkle lightly with chile powder and salt and serve.
Nutrition information (per serving)
- Calories: 35
- Total fat: 0 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Total carbohydrate: 9 g
- Dietary fiber: 1 g
- Total sugars: 8 g
- Protein: 1 g