This Olive Honeydew Winter Summer Salad is one of those amazing recipes that is fitting in both of the odd extremes of winter and summer. While a summer melon makes it burst with the gorgeous flavor only possible in summer fruit, the fennel, olives, and orange which are all readily available winter ingredients make this a salad I still think to prepare deep in the Winter. And as it finally warms up around here enough to make me more than dream of crisp mineral-y white wine and balmy summer night air heavy with the smell of barbeque and citronella (doesn’t that sounds wonderful as you sweep off your patios and plant your annuals?) I find myself making this salad early this year. After all, it truly was a long winter and I’m ready even if the weather isn’t quite. So, I will have to eat it inside with a glass of pinot instead… what a tragedy. The salt and sweet and bitter flavors are so perfectly balanced in the way of many Mediterranean dishes. Prosciutto Melone comes to mind. And even the Caprese. There’s something about simple but complex salads that Mediterraneans just “get” better than anyone else and this Olive Honeydew Winter Summer Salad is no exception. If you aren’t inspired to make the Olive Honeydew Winter Summer Salad this weekend, at least bookmark it so you don’t forget it this summer, or winter.
- 1 ½-2 pounds honeydew melon*
- 1 small-medium fennel bulb
- chopped fennel fronds for garnish (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped parsley leaves
- ¼ cup olives (I like oil-cured black olives and bright green Castelvetrano olives)
- grated orange zest from one whole orange
- 1 tablespoon+ fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- Cut the melon in half and remove the seeds. Cut away the rind. Cut into very thin slices using a mandoline or by hand. Thin is important to make this feel like a salad ingredient as opposed to large chunks of fruit. Make sure the pieces are bite-sized.
- To prepare the fennel, remove and reserve the stems and fronds.
- Cut the fennel in half and slice very thin with a mandoline.
- Chop parsley leaves.
- Zest the orange.
- Whisk orange juice and 2 tablespoons oil in a large salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add melon, shaved fennel, olives, parsley, and orange zest to vinaigrette and toss to coat. Top salad with fennel fronds, drizzle with more oil, and season with salt and pepper. Or, for a fancier presentation, I toss the fennel in the dressing, then arrange on a platter, then toss the melon in the remaining dressing, and arrange on top of the fennel.
- Finally, I garnish with the olives, parsley and zest.
But to serve, I mix it all together.
- *Fake it 'til you make it: the honeydew should be really sweet. Sometimes it’s not. I have a cheat. Toss the slices in a tablespoon or so of granulated sugar and let sit for at least 20 minutes. Then proceed to make the salad. It’s amazing what a difference this can have in making a winter melon into a summer melon.
What an interesting salad!
I love the juxtaposition of summer and winter in this salad. Sounds perfect any time of the year.
I love the sweet-and-salty combo in this salad. Looks like a great way to start a big Italian meal 🙂
Love the flavor profile of this salad–melon, fennel, olives, orange. I can almost taste it right now. Definitely on my must try list. Pinned. 🙂