This recipe involves one of my favorite kitchen tools, the spiralizer!  Do you have one? What do you spiralize? You can get one here. It cuts vegetables into long thin strands like pasta and it’s brilliant!   My son and I saw one at Williams and Sonoma and decided to give it a go.  It’s been great fun seeing what we can  spiralize. We’re also using a mandolin today.  I guess I have an affinity for unique cutting tools. I’m a self proclaimed knife geek.  Don’t worry, if you do not have these tools you can use a vegetable peeler or good knife to make fine slices.  We’re using fresh ingredients and plenty of them.  The melons in the warmth of the late summer sun are bursting with sweet sugars.  This balanced with the acidity of the dressing, the toasty roasted corn and texture of the vegetables summer squash makes this salad burst with flavor. 

You can serve this melon salad as a side to any meal.  I like it with grilled chicken breasts. It’s also a wonderfully refreshing lunch.  Enjoy the end of season summer melons while they are so sweet. Oh and did I mention, this dish is vegan and gluten free.

This salad is cold, however if you sauté the yellow summer squash or even zucchini after you have spiraled it it takes on the texture and appearance of a bowl of pasta.  You can eat a big bowl of it nourishing your body, while eating very few calories. Win win!!!

LATE SUMMER MELON  SALAD

| serves 4-6 |

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon thyme leaves
• 3 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 small shallot
• salt + pepper

Salad:

• 1 small cucumber
• 2 medium summer squash
• 2 ears of corn, shucked
• 2/3 cup grape or cherry heirloom tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped mint
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped lemon thyme
• salt + pepper
• half of 1 cantaloupe or honeydew melon, cut into wedges
• a small handful of mint flowers (By this time in the season the mint in my garden has gone to flower)

 Method:

• Place dressing ingredients in a mini food processor and blend until emulsified.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Store dressing in  the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Prepare an ice bath and set aside.
• Peel the skin from the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise.
• Using a mandolin (or vegetable peeler), shave each half of the melon and place the pieces in the prepared ice bath to crisp, about 10-15 minutes.
• Drain the melon and place on dishtowel to dry.
• Using a spiralizer, spiralize the summer squash into medium thin strands.  Place strands in a large serving bowl and set aside. If you do not have a spiralizer you can slice thin strands like you did for the cucumber.  It will still taste great. Add pieces to a large serving bowl and set aside.
• Over a gas grill or stove top, light a burner to a low flame. One at a time char the corn cobs rotating with tongs to evenly cook the corn.
• Set aside and allow corn to cool. Once cool enough to handle, stand the corn upright; use a large knife to cut the kernels from the cob. Repeat with other ear of corn and place kernels in the bowl with the squash.
• To the bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint, and thyme; season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the dressing from the refrigerator and give it a good shake. Drizzle a few spoonfuls over the squash noodles, then taste and adjust, adding more dressing if needed.
• Slice the cantaloupe or honeydew melon into even wedges, then cut the flesh from the skin. Plate wedges and top with the summer squash noodles and mint flowers.   I cut some of the Honey dew melon into thin strips as well.  You can play with the presentation of this salad any way you like.ENJOY!!