In this recipe, fish sauce stands in for the salt to make a savory-sweet spicy salad or side dish. If possible, include two or more types of melon for variety. We get most of our melons from Whitted Bowers, a biodynamic orchard and farm just north in Cedar Grove that also offers a spin on U-pick berries: dig-your-own Carolina Ruby sweet potatoes. Cheri Whitted and Rob Bowers grow many melons; my favorites include the musky Emerald Gem (considered the finest melon in the world after it was developed in 1886), Pride of Wisconsin, and Sugar Baby, the icebox-size watermelon.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)

　　1 large fresh red Thai chile, with seeds, finely minced, or to taste

　　1/4 cup fish sauce

　　1 tablespoon sugar, plus more if needed

　　2 small ripe melons

　　10 fresh spearmint leaves, torn into thin strips

　　3 tablespoons chopped salted roasted peanuts

　　

Step 1

In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice, chile, fish sauce, and sugar with 2 tablespoons water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Cut each melon in half and remove the seeds. Using a melon baller, scoop out the flesh to make about 4 cups melon balls total. Add the melon balls to the dressing and toss. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes and up to several hours.

　　

Step 2

To serve, toss with the mint, divide among four bowls, and sprinkle with the peanuts.

　　Cooking in the Moment