I've never been a big fan of cantaloupe; I think it's a texture thing. But a year or so ago I saw a recipe for a sauce using cantaloupe that was so unique, I had to give it a try. If you saute chopped cantaloupe in olive oil, it releases its juices and creates a velvety sauce. It's fairly sweet, so the addition of tomato paste not only turns it a beautiful color and thicken it up a bit, but lends a nice savory balance to the sweetness. It also ups the nutrient quotient nicely. Tomatoes actually become more nutritious the more they are cooked, so tomato paste is one of the most concentrated sources of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant and potential cancer fighter. And combining olive oil with tomatoes helps the body better absorb the nutrients.
Take a note from Michael Pollan's Food Rules and get out of the supermarket on this one. Hit your local farmers' market and take advantage of the gorgeous variety of heirloom tomatoes to add color and dimension to this sauce.
The first time I made this, I used a cantaloupe from the grocery store. This time of year, however, there are some great melons available at the farmers' markets, and I've been using a Charlynne melon. It's a little lighter in color and sweeter than a traditional cantaloupe. I'm glad I discovered a way to eat cantaloupe because, like tomatoes, it's a powerful antioxidant and helps to fight free radicals, but most compelling to me is that just one slice of cantaloupe has more beta-carotene (it's one of the richest sources) and Vitamin C than your body can even use in a day.
Just a word about the nutrition stuff: we hear about antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, etc. and while I'm sure we all realize they're good for us and we should eat foods full of them, do we really know what they do for us? So let me tell you about the two powerhouses of cantaloupe that I just mentioned. Our bodies convert beta-carotene into Vitamin A, which is crucial in the production of cells that fight disease. Vitamin C protects our immune system and helps protect us against heart disease, certain cancers, and the ever-annoying cold.
So now you know...
I also took advantage of another seasonal favorite, peppers, in this dish. Larry at Triple T Farm in Santa Rosa first turned me on to padron peppers a couple months back. LOVE them; small crumpled peppers that are mild and sweet, except for the 1 in 10 that's spicy. I started putting them in everything I cooked. Last month he introduced me to Shishito peppers (pictured above). They are very similar to padrons in every way, except for the wayward spicy one. Just sweet and delicious. Seek them out and give them a try....
Sautéed Cantaloupe Sauce Serves 6
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped shishito or padron peppers
1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ cup milk or half & half
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup diced heirloom tomatoes
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 lb. cooked pasta of your choice
· Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat.
· Add onion and peppers, and cook 3-5 minutes until onions start to soften.
· Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and cantaloupe. Sauté 10 minutes until a chunky sauce starts to form. (You can add some of the starchy pasta in lieu of the olive oil to cut the fat).
· Add tomato paste and smoked paprika, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
· Remove from heat and add milk or half and half and lemon zest, stirring to combine.
· Season with salt & pepper
· Toss with cooked pasta and top with chopped tomatoes, and cheese if desired.
P.S. I didn't add any cheese! It doesn't need it, it's so good!!
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