Having melon for starter (boring I know!), what can I do with it to jazz it up...

[tassisssss]

...buy still keep it simple and quick to prepare?

Thanks!

[MegaLegs]

Sprinkle with brown sugar and ground ginger. mmmmm

[ArcticRoll]

Wrap with Parma ham, yummy.

[RIELOVESBACARDI]

thats wrong

[janeite]

Was just about to say ginger as well - stem ginger and a bit of the syrup.

Berries are easy if you like that sort of thing; I don't because I think it makes it over sweet.

Melon and feta are good together, maybe with a few basil leaves or olives?

[tassisssss]

what's wrong Rie?

[tassisssss]

supposing you did like berries janeite, what exactly would you do with them?

[wrinklytum]

You could blitz them up and make a couli,I believe.But I am no expert cook

[janeite]

Yes - blitz raspberries or others with a bit of icing sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice (or booze) I should think.

Or there's this from Nigel Slater:
Blackberry and melon salad

Save for the odd drop of Marsala, I am not a great one for putting alcohol in my cooking. Here is an exception. The bittersweet Limoncello is positively breathtaking with the ripe orange-fleshed melon and fat, sweet blackberries. I have taken to keeping a bottle of this Italian citrus liqueur in the fridge during the summer, and even having a little tipple after dinner.

serves 6

cantaloupe melon - 2 medium sized and lusciously ripe

blackberries - 350g

Limoncello - about 3 teaspoons

Slice the melons in half and scrape out their seeds over a bowl, catching as much juice as you can. Scoop out chunks of melon flesh with a spoon or cut the melon into chunks with a knife, discarding the peel as you go. Toss the melon with the blackberries, the juice and Limoncello to taste.

[manchita]

I would agree with Parma Ham. Delicious

[tassisssss]

smoked salmon will be another option, so i feel parma ham is a bit too similar

i want this to be simple and child-friendly (want my dc to enjoy it!)

i think the red fruit coulis thing has potential, otherwise it'll just be melon and orange chopped up in a bowl together!

[louii]

cointreau, is nice with melon.

[TheYoungVisiturkeyandstuffing]

another vote for parma ham - can't see how it's similar to smoked salmon at all! Maybe that's just me .

[hairycaterpillar]

oh yes my friend at uni used to do sorbet thing with melon...it was yum! and v v v childfriendly ("ice cream" and it's not even the pudding yet!!!!!)

[tassisssss]

thanks all, esp to WW for understanding that the prob with parma ham and smoken salmon is purely that they look similar!

i'm not sure i can do sorbet for starter...

bought extra frozen rasps so may do something with them, who knows...

[AnAngelWithin]

put a few mixed berries in the middle and then a nice round ball off fruit sorbet on the top.

[Mollymoofer]

Ok ok I know this is a zombie thread but what do you think of melon balls with sorbet as xmas dinner starter, yay or nay?

[RojaGato]

Hello mollymoofer.

Had melon with elderflower sorbet as a starter at a do once and it wad delicious. You could add a splash of sparkling wine too for extra festiveness.

[Pantah630]

My Dad always used to do me purloin, Parma ham and a spoonful of port in the melon as a starter when we were growing up, I wouldn't eat fish or seafood and they'd be having prawn cocktail. It was 70/80's and is still delicious now.

[Pantah630]

Stupid Apple autocorrect, purloin = melon??

[Mollymoofer]

Hi RojaGato and Pantah630. Thanks for your replies. Elderflower sorbet sounds delicious and lighter than orange or lemon but might be hard to get hold of where I am (no chance of me doing it myself!).

Purloin is certainly an interesting option . Port in the melon...wow...would never have thought of that. Funny how some of the foods we had when little stay with us. Nothing beats a prawn cocktail for me though I hardly ever have it. Saw someone on another thread mention melon with parma ham and manchego cheese drizzled with honey...

[captainweasel]

Cucumber tomato and feta with melon. Bit of salt and black pepper and balsamic. Yummmm.