In Sardinia melon, watermelon, and other sweet fruits often find their way into salads. Watermelon is used most commonly, but I find it’s easier to get good cantaloupe year-round. This is very fresh tasting and refreshing, and because I always like a little crunch in my salads, I’ve added some toasted walnuts. Sometimes I add some grated Pecorino cheese to this as well. Serve this after the meal as a palate cleanser before—or instead of—dessert.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　

Orange Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

　　1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

　　1 1/2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

　　3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Salad

1 (3-pound) cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch cubes

　　1 small red onion, thinly sliced

　　2 cups arugula

　　1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Note, page 21)

　　

To Make the Vinaigrette

Step 1

Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, and raspberry vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

　　

To Make the Salad

Step 2

Combine the cantaloupe, red onion, arugula, and 1/2 cup of the walnuts in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Garnish with the remaining walnuts.

　　Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.