Smashed Cucumber & Melon Salad with Spicy Sesame Crunch

Zubereitung

This bright, summery salad strikes a perfect balance of sweet and savory with juicy melon, fresh herbs, and crisp cucumber. It's all brought together by the star ingredient: crunchy, spicy-sweet sesame brittle. It’s best to assemble this salad right before serving so the juices from the cucumber don’t soften the sesame crunch and dilute the light ginger-spiked dressing.

*This recipe originally ran stateside on HexClad.com.

1. In a HexClad 8"/20 cm Hybrid Fry Pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add sesame seeds, sugar, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, until sesame seeds are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape onto a plate and let cool; break into chunks. 

2. Using a rolling pin or the bottom of a small fry pan, gently smash cucumbers until they split into large pieces, then cut into 1-inch/3-cm chunks (about 4 cups/520 grams). Transfer cucumber to a large bowl and add cantaloupe, vinegar, ginger, soy, and ½ teaspoon of salt; gently toss to combine. 

3. Sprinkle half of sesame crunch, mint, and chives over salad; toss to combine. Transfer to a platter or shallow serving bowl and top with remaining sesame crunch. Serve right away. 

MAKE AHEAD Sesame brittle can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and stored at room temperature. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.