Open lasagna with melon & ham

For ➍ 

stracciatella (or burrata)

green pesto

lemon (juice)

flesh tomatoes

cantaloupe melon

lasagna sheets

dried ham

pine nuts

balsamic cream

Mix the stracciatella with pesto and some lemon juice. Cover briefly and store in the refrigerator.

Slice the tomatoes into thin slices. Remove the seeds from the melon and peel the melon. Then slice it into thin slices.

Cook the lasagna sheets until done. It is best not to cook them all at once, as they will stick together. Cook them in batches of 3 or 4 and then drain them on a kitchen towel

Assembling the lasagna is best done just before serving. Place a lasagna sheet on a plate. Spoon some of the stracciatella-pesto sauce, a few slices of tomato, melon, and dried ham onto it. Place another lasagna sheet on top, followed by sauce, minced meat, and cherry tomatoes.

Divide this among the plates and finish with some roasted pine nuts and balsamic cream if desired.

Orange & Aperol

For ➊
5 cl Aperol
10-15 cl fresh orange juice*
ice
5 cl of ice-cold sparkling water

Mix the Aperol with ice cubes in a shaker. Pour into a high cocktail glass.
Add fresh orange juice, more ice and sparkling water.
Enjoy.

*Use half lemon, half orange juice. Or diluted rhubarber syrup. Or pureed watermelon or melon flesh. Adjust liquid.

Cold melon soup with Ganda ham

For ➍
1 ripe cantaloupe melon 1 kg
juice of 1 orange
juice of a ¼ lemon
½ ts sea salt
½ ts pink pepper*
sugar**
4 slices Ganda ham, cut in ribbons***

Peel the melon. Purée the meat. Mix juices through it. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
Refrigerate for a few h.
Spoon ¼ of the ham through the soup. Serve and decorate with the rest of the ham.
(Add a few ice cubes).

*Or use shichimi togarashi mix
**optional
***Use Parma ham instead.

Dry-cured Ganda ham is made near Ghent and is considered to be as tasteful as the Parma.

Iced tomato soup with melon balls

For ➍
2 melons
8 vine tomatoes
2 sprigs of basil
2 cloves of garlic
1 ts tomato paste
salt & freshly ground pepper

Cut the melon in half and remove all seeds and seeds.
Remove with a melon spoon the pulp and put the balls in a bowl. Chop the basil finely and add ½ to the melon. Stir and put at least 2 h in the refrigerator.
Peel the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into large pieces. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them with the flat side of a knife.
Mix the tomatoes with the garlic and the rest of the basil. Add the tomato paste and bring to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour this preparation into a deep dish. Put in another dish of ice cubes, put the dish with the soup on it and put everything in the refrigerator until just before serving.
Take melon balls from the refrigerator. Arrange the balls on a deep plate. Pour the chilled tomato soup over it. Serve immediately.

Melons à la menthe (minted melon salad)

For ➏
½ a medium honeydew melon, scooped
½ a medium cantaloupe melon, scooped
juice & zest of 1 large lime
1 tbs honey
2 tbs fresh mint, finely chopped

Place scooped melon balls into a medium or large bowl.
Combine lime juice and zest with honey. Drizzle over melon. Toss.
Sprinkle chopped fresh mint.
Chill for 2 h.
Serve as a dessert, a side dish to some grilled chicken or fish, or as an appetizer or palate cleanser between courses.