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Cantaloupe With Spicy Bacon-Cashew Crumble

4.3

(13)

Cantaloupe With Spicy BaconCashew Crumble Recipe
Photograph by Dylan + Jeni, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk

Juicy melon with a salty-sweet crunchy topping makes for a low-effort but universally crowd-pleasing summer appetizer. “My mother has been making this dish since I was a young kid,” says the cookbook author Leela Punyaratabandhu. “It’s inspired by the Italian classic, prosciutto e melone, and an elegant and old-school Thai appetizer in which watermelon is paired with a sweet, salty, sandy crumble. You won’t find cantaloupe paired with spicy bacon-cashew crumble anywhere in Thailand, but this was one of my after-school snacks and, to this day, one of my favorite things to serve when I entertain guests.” Swap any melon for the cantaloupe—as long as it’s ripe, it will be delicious—and don’t serve it straight out of the fridge, because very cold melon will solidify the residual bacon fat in the crumble. Serve it with Leela’s summery menu for Grilled Pork Shoulder Steaks With Green Pepper Relish, Khao Niao (Thai Sticky Rice), Cucumber, Tomato, and Green Bean Salad, Grilled Scallops With Peach Sweet Chili Sauce, and Lime-Lemongrass Slushies. 

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 - 6 Servings

Ingredients

6

slices bacon, sliced crosswise ¼" thick

3

large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1

red Thai chile or Fresno chile, finely chopped

½

cup finely chopped unsalted roasted cashews

1

Tbsp. light brown sugar

½

tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

1

2-lb. cantaloupe, room temperature, cut into 1" cubes

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook bacon in a dry medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. fat from skillet.

    Step 2

    Cook garlic and chile in same skillet over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is softened but has not taken on any color, about 1 minute. Add cashews; cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in bacon, brown sugar, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Taste crumble and season with more salt if needed. Crumble should be equal parts salty and sweet.

    Step 3

    Arrange cantaloupe on a platter and top with warm crumble.

Explore Bon AppétitThaiSoutheast AsianAsianMelonFruitCantaloupeBaconCured MeatMeatCashewNutThai ChileChileVegetableFresno ChileSummerQuickEasyWeeknight MealsStarterSnackDairy-FreeGluten-FreeDinner
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Reviews (13)

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  • This recipe is fantastic. I have served it five times now to different couples, with rave reviews each time. Simply lovely on the deck in the afternoon sun with a chilled glass of white wine.

    • AllisonM

    • Canada

    • 10/9/2021

  • Took this to a family potluck, and everyone raved about the flavors. Now my sister wants to serve it at her bistro. Thanks for sharing a unique flavor combination.

    • Nancy Hoffhines

    • Ontario, OR

    • 10/4/2021

  • I had high hopes but... Even with garden ripened Cantaloupes and fresh garden Garlic and Havasu Chillies....this recipe failed. It was weird and muddy. Sad because the ingredients sound like a good mix

    • johnny

    • ontario

    • 10/4/2021

  • If you have to eat cantaloupe - this is the way to do it

    • Jackie M

    • Madison, WI

    • 9/12/2021

  • What a banger!!! The crumble can go in anything!! Ima try it on vanilla ice cream😃

    • Hungry in Philly

    • Philadelphia

    • 8/8/2021