This recipe was developed straight out of our Community Supported Agriculture box this week. For those of you who aren’t aware of the CSA model, we purchase a share of a local farmer’s crops at the beginning of the season. In return, each week we receive a box of fresh, local, seasonal, organic produce. Our farm does a great job of mixing up the items in the box and giving us a nice variety. We get a lot of produce each week, but we basically stop grocery shopping in the summer and rely on the bounty of the fields to keep us fed. It is a terrific system.

Last week we got a melon and a big bunch of basil. As soon as I saw these two ingredients, I thought of this dish. I have always loved melon with salt and pepper (a trick I learned my grandmother — it amplifies the flavor of the melon in incredible ways!). I added mozzarella to complement the melon with some richness and I added the brightness of the basil to balance the dish.

Melon, Mozzarella & Basil Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 cups honeydew melon, cubed
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 1/2 cup basil, thinly shredded
• 1/8  cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Rinse melon, deseed, peel and chop into 1 inch cubes.
2. Chop mozzarella into 1/2 inch cubes.
3. Wash, dry and shred basil.
4. Put all ingredients into a bowl.
5. Add olive oil, salt and pepper.
6. Toss, being careful not to tear the cheese.
7. Enjoy!