Buffet Melon Basket Salad Recipe
Ingredients
| Watermelon | 1/2 Small | |
| 1 cantaloupe, halved and seeded | ||
| 1/2 small honeydew melon, seeded | ||
| 1 large honeydew melon, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 16 crescents | ||
| Fresh mint | ||
| Sugar | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) (For Orange-cream dressing) | |
| Flour | 1 Teaspoon (For Orange-cream dressing) | |
| Dry mustard | 1/2 Teaspoon (For Orange-cream dressing) | |
| Salt | 1/4 Teaspoon (For Orange-cream dressing) | |
| Eggs | 2 (For Orange-cream dressing) | |
| Orange juice | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) (For Orange-cream dressing) | |
| Lemon juice | 1/3 Cup (16 tbs) (For Orange-cream dressing) | |
| Whipping cream | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) (For Orange-cream dressing) | |
Directions
GETTING READY
1. To make the Orange-Cream Dressing, combine sugar, flour, mustard and salt in a cup.
2. Fit a bowl over a double boiler pan and break in eggs.
3. Whisk lightly with a wire whisk then blend in dry ingredients.
4. Gradually add orange and lemon juices whisking until smooth.
5. Cook stirring constantly, over double boiler for 5 minutes until sauce coats back of spoon.
6. Strain sauce into a medium-size bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
MAKING
To make the Melon Basket Salad
7. Trim a 1-inch-thick round from cut end of watermelon.
8. Use a melon scoop or a rounded teaspoon to scoop out watermelon into balls and place in a bowl.
9. Using a paring knife, trim flesh close to rind, reserving the circle of rind whole to make base of "basket”. Keep aside.
10. Scoop out 3 cups of balls from remaining watermelon and add to bowl.
11. Scoop 2 cups balls from cantaloupe and place in a separate bowl.
12. Scoop 1 cup from the half honeydew and place in separately.
13. Cover bowls with cling film and refrigerate until ready to serve.
FINALIZING
14. On a serving platter, place watermelon rind circle.
15. Arrange honeydew crescents around inside of circle, so lower ends meet in the center and rind rests against watermelon circle. Hold ends in place with one hand while arranging remaining crescents in place with the other hand
16. Spoon watermelon balls first, then layer with cantaloupe and honeydew balls.
17. Fold the whipped cream into the orange-cream dressing and pour into a sauceboat.
SERVING
18. Place platter on buffet table.
19. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh mint.
20. Serve with orange-cream dressing on the side.
1. To make the Orange-Cream Dressing, combine sugar, flour, mustard and salt in a cup.
2. Fit a bowl over a double boiler pan and break in eggs.
3. Whisk lightly with a wire whisk then blend in dry ingredients.
4. Gradually add orange and lemon juices whisking until smooth.
5. Cook stirring constantly, over double boiler for 5 minutes until sauce coats back of spoon.
6. Strain sauce into a medium-size bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
MAKING
To make the Melon Basket Salad
7. Trim a 1-inch-thick round from cut end of watermelon.
8. Use a melon scoop or a rounded teaspoon to scoop out watermelon into balls and place in a bowl.
9. Using a paring knife, trim flesh close to rind, reserving the circle of rind whole to make base of "basket”. Keep aside.
10. Scoop out 3 cups of balls from remaining watermelon and add to bowl.
11. Scoop 2 cups balls from cantaloupe and place in a separate bowl.
12. Scoop 1 cup from the half honeydew and place in separately.
13. Cover bowls with cling film and refrigerate until ready to serve.
FINALIZING
14. On a serving platter, place watermelon rind circle.
15. Arrange honeydew crescents around inside of circle, so lower ends meet in the center and rind rests against watermelon circle. Hold ends in place with one hand while arranging remaining crescents in place with the other hand
16. Spoon watermelon balls first, then layer with cantaloupe and honeydew balls.
17. Fold the whipped cream into the orange-cream dressing and pour into a sauceboat.
SERVING
18. Place platter on buffet table.
19. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh mint.
20. Serve with orange-cream dressing on the side.
Chef
