Fig and cantaloupe salad

                This is a tasty, if unusual, blend of two of Texas foremost fruits.

 

Serves 4

• 8 fresh figs, sliced into sixths
• 2 cups cantaloupe chunks
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• ¼ cup pecan pièces, toasted

Dressing

• ½ cup sour cream or yogurt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

For garnish

• 4 thin cantaloupe wedges
• Fresh mint leaves

1. In a medium bowl, combine the figs, cantaloupe, mint and pecans.
2. In asmall bowl, stir together the sour cream or yogurt, honey and lime juice.
3. Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss them together lightly.
4. The salad can be refrigerated until it is ready to serve, but it is best eaten within a few hours of preparation.
5. To serve, place a cantaloupe wedge on each plate, spoon the salad in the hollow of each wedge and garnish each serving with mint leaves.

There are a couple of ways to tell a good cantaloupe from an inferior one. First, check the stem, it should be completely gone, leaving only a smooth, shallow basin known as a "full slip". You also should be able to smell a full-bodied fruity aroma.

BON APPETIT