Melon Carpaccio with Lime

At first glance these eye-catching chile peppers look like red jalapeno. However, they have a different flavor and are less meaty than Jalapeno. Red Fresnos are great roasted and added to salsas. Try grilling them alongside your steaks or in kabobs.

When roasting these they should char, blister, and become soft. Try substituting these in your favorite chile recipes.

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
4 sprigs mint plus small leaves for garnish
1/2 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh red chile (such as jalapeño or Fresno)
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 5-pounds melon (such as honeydew), peeled, halved, seeded, cut crosswise into 1/4″ slices
Coconut, mango, or lemon sorbet (optional)
1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Instructions:

Makes 6 servings

Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add mint sprigs and chile. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Remove syrup from heat; cover and let steep for 15 minutes for flavors to infuse.

Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; stir in lime juice. DO AHEAD: Syrup can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

Arrange melon slices in a 13x9x2″ glass baking dish. Pour syrup over melon in baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

Divide melon slices among plates, overlapping them decoratively. Pour remaining syrup in dish into a small pitcher. DO AHEAD: Melon carpaccio can be made up to 5 hours ahead. Cover and chill melon and remaining syrup separately.

Drizzle some of syrup over melon. Place a scoop of sorbet in center of each plate, if using; garnish with mint leaves and lime zest.

From Bon Appetit