This makes a lovely salad, appetizer or choice for a banquet buffet. The sweet spicy pepper nut cream is a tasty enhancement to the melon.

Honeydew Melon with Tofu Ham and Bell Pepper Nut Cream

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe honeydew melon, sliced, seeds removed and peeled
  • 6 slices tofu ham, vegan cold cut or tempeh bacon
  • 2-3 tablespoons bell pepper nut cream
  • lettuce and grapes as garnish

for the sweet bell pepper nut cream:

  • 1 large red bell pepper, stem cut away, de-seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 cup ground almonds, hazelnuts, cashews or walnuts
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon ginger syrup
  • 1/2 inch knob ginger, peeled
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Honeydew Melon with Tofu Ham and Bell Pepper Nut Cream

Directions:

to make the sweet pepper nut cream:

  1. Heat the oil in a small frying pan.
  2. Add the chopped bell pepper and saute until soft.
  3. Place the cooked bell pepper pieces in a small bowl.
  4. Add the ginger syrup, cayenne pepper, knob of peeled ginger and ginger powder and puree to a smooth consistency.
  5. It will be slightly liquid at this stage.
  6. Add the ground nuts and puree again. At this stage it will become thicker.
  7. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and any additional seasons you may want.
  8. Cool until ready to use.

to prepare the salad:

  1. Arrange some lettuce or lollo rosso around the edge of each plate.
  2. Slice the melon about 1/3 inch thick
  3. Slice the peel off and remove the seeds from the center thus making a hollow area for the nut cream.
  4. Slice the tofu ham in small half rounds- usually 3 rounds are enough for each center area.
  5. Line the center hollow with the tofu halves.
  6. Fill the center area with the bell pepper nut cream (about 2 teaspoons per melon center) and optionally top with 1/2 a grape.

Notes:

This tastes particularly nice with the honeydew melon, or other sweet greenish yellow melons. I do not recommend it for a cantaloupe as it has such a different flavor. I would make a different nut cream, with ginger, lemon and nuts.