Jun 12, 2009 11:09 am US/Eastern
Tony Tantillo: Cantaloupes
-
-
CBS 2 HD food reporter Tony Tantillo.
CBS
Today's tip of the week is with—take a guess—it's going to be on cantaloupes.
I did a tip on cantaloupes before, but the California cantaloupes, the cantaloupes from the states, the domestic cantaloupes in the markets right now; they're cutting good and tasting delicious.
Let's talk about selection and storage to make sure the cantaloupe tastes good, or otherwise you know what's going to happen? It won't taste good at all
They're a little bit expensive, a lot less then they were a few weeks ago, but in two or three weeks, the prices are going to be very low. Let's talk about selection.
Ah…here's a perfect one right here, nope this one's even better.
When you buy them, you want to make sure…see the netting? It's nice and tight all the way around; that is important. Check the stem end. You want to make sure it's not too soft. Your thumb if it can go all the way through the hole, you know what that means? It's been around for too long, and it's starting to decay from the inside, and you don't want that.
Like all cantaloupes and melons, heavy for their size, that means they have a very small cavity in there, and a lot of melon to enjoy.
When you bring the melons home, the cantaloupe, always store them in the refrigerator, not on the counter. At room temperature they'll get a nice color on the outside, but they're not going to taste any good. You can take them out and enjoy 'em at room temperature, but store them in the refrigerator.
Look at that! I did pick a pretty good one, and it smells delicious. Oh by the way, did I say they're loaded with nutritional value and they're great for us?
California cantaloupes in the markets all over the country…take 'em.
Kiwifruit Salad
Since kiwifruit is often described as having elements of citrus, strawberry, and melon, we decided to put them all together for an intense kiwi experience.
Serves 4
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon mild vinegar such as rice or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon almond oil or walnut oil
Kosher salt to taste
1/2 small cantaloupe, peeled and seeds removed
1 pint strawberries, washed and stemmed
1 navel orange, peeled with all white pith removed
4 kiwifruit, peeled and cut into thin rounds
Small head of radicchio for lining a platter
2 tablespoons toasted, sliced almonds
1. Combine ginger, honey, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. With cut side of cantaloupe down on a work surface, cut into very thin slices crosswise. Then cut slices in half crosswise. Halve strawberries lengthwise. Cut oranges into thin slices.
3. Put radicchio on a platter, flattening it out to make as even a surface as possible. Arrange fruit in concentric rings around the platter; first the cantaloupe on the outside, then half the strawberries inside that. Then arrange kiwi, remaining strawberries, and orange slices in the center.
4. Stir up dressing again and pour over fruit. Sprinkle with almonds.
Cooking Tip
By using sliced almonds, which are cut much thinner than you can do at home, you can get the same almonds flavor in many dishes while using fewer nuts. This keeps the cost and the fat down.
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
