Honeydew Melon with Tofu Ham and Bell Pepper Nut Cream
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.
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
Directions:
to make the sweet pepper nut cream:
- Heat the oil in a small frying pan.
- Add the chopped bell pepper and saute until soft.
- Place the cooked bell pepper pieces in a small bowl.
- Add the ginger syrup, cayenne pepper, knob of peeled ginger and ginger powder and puree to a smooth consistency.
- It will be slightly liquid at this stage.
- Add the ground nuts and puree again. At this stage it will become thicker.
- Season to taste with a pinch of salt and any additional seasons you may want.
- Cool until ready to use.
to prepare the salad:
- Arrange some lettuce or lollo rosso around the edge of each plate.
- Slice the melon about 1/3 inch thick
- Slice the peel off and remove the seeds from the center thus making a hollow area for the nut cream.
- Slice the tofu ham in small half rounds- usually 3 rounds are enough for each center area.
- Line the center hollow with the tofu halves.
- 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.