Crescents Of Melon On Fresh Ricotta Food

CANTALOUPE WITH RICOTTA AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Divide ricotta between two small bowls; sprinkle with pistachios. Serve with cantaloupe, drizzled with honey, if desired.

RICOTTA TOASTS WITH MELON, CORN AND SALAMI

Steps:

• Use the blunt edge of a knife to scrape any corn milk off the cobs into a medium bowl. Add the ricotta to the corn milk, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together the corn kernels, cantaloupe, salami, cilantro, almonds and vinegar. Season generously with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust salt, pepper and vinegar until the flavors pop. (The salad will keep covered and refrigerated for up to 5 hours. Add the cilantro and almonds just before serving.)
• When ready to eat, cut or rip the baguette into 4 pieces crosswise, then cut or rip in half lengthwise through the middle (as if you're making a sandwich). Toast if you'd like. Spoon the ricotta onto the cut sides of the baguette, then top with the salad.

CRESCENTS OF MELON ON FRESH RICOTTA

Steps:

• To make the syrups, puree the blueberries in a food processor or blender and put them in a small pot. Add half the sugar and cup water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Let cool before running the syrup through a fine- mesh strainer. Discard the solids. Then repeat the same process with the raspberries.
• To make the ricotta, line a mesh sieve with a double-layered square of cheesecloth, with plenty to overlap the sieve. Meanwhile, combine the milk, cream and yogurt in a pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture begins to curdle, about 2 minutes.
• When the milk is curdled, pour it into the cheesecloth and allow it to drain about 5 minutes. Gather up the four corners of the cheesecloth, tie a stick into it as if for a satchel and prop the stick on the edges of a bowl and allow it to drain until firm, about 1 hour.
• When ready to serve, assemble 8 plates. Paint half of each plate with the blueberry syrup and half with the raspberry syrup. Mound 1/4 cup of the ricotta on the center of each plate. Stack 6 alternating slices of melon together and place on the plate so that the inside of their crescent shape faces the cheese; then fan them slightly. Garnish with an edible blossom. Repeat with the remaining 7 servings.

FRESH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Line a colander with a quadruple layer of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl.
• In a large pot over medium-high heat, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Bring to a simmer and heat until the mixture just begins to curdle. Pour mixture into colander. (For a drier ricotta with bigger curds, continue to simmer 1 to 2 minutes longer until mixture completely separates.)
• Stop draining when mixture begins to look like ricotta, 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how dry you like it. Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to two weeks.