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by Mary Berry

This refreshing fruit salad is perfect to bring to summer al fresco gatherings when melons are at their peak. It can be made in advance and chilled, without the fruit going brown.

Each serving provides 110kcal, 2g protein, 20g carbohydrate (of which 20g sugars), 0g fat (of which 0g saturates), 7g fibre and 0g salt.

Desserts

Buyer's guide

Melons are ripe if they give slightly when pressed at the opposite end of the stalk. Some summer melons smell fragrant when ripe.

Storage

Keep whole melons at room temperature for maximum flavour. Cut melon must be well-wrapped and chilled, otherwise its scent will permeate the fridge.

Preparation

Dessert melons have a very high water content and fragile flesh. They are best eaten raw and treated very simply. Ripe melons shouldn’t need any extra sweetening but use lemon or lime juice to bring out their sweetness if necessary. Mint, ginger, pear, cucumber, cured ham, strawberries and raspberries each taste good with melon. They also make good sorbet and ice cream.

To prepare melons, cut them in half and remove their seeds. If wished, strain the extra juice from the seeds. Rinse the seeds, dry and lightly roast as a salty snack. Their peel can be sliced off, along with a thin layer of hard flesh, leaving the sweet flesh.