Melon, Cucumber & Mint Salad with Ivy’s Reserve Somerset Red Crisps

this salad makes the most of fragrant Summer melons, pairing them with savoury, nutty Ivy’s Somerset Reserve Red.

• 100g Ivy’s Reserve Somerset red, grated
• 1 small ripe melon peeled, deseeded, and sliced into angular ½ wedges
• 1 small cucumber, halved lengthwise, deseeded, and sliced into ½ cm angled pieces
• Handful fresh peas, blanched in boiling water then plunged into cold
• A handful of fresh mint leaves, torn or left whole if small and cute
• Zest and juice of ½ lemon
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

For the dressing

• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place small piles (about 1 heaped tsp each) of grated cheese spaced well apart, and press down on them slightly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until bubbling. Allow to cool completely on the tray — they’ll crisp up as they drop to room temperature. Once cooled, break into shards.
3. In a large bowl, gently toss together melon, cucumber, peas, mint, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper. This is easiest with clean hands, which are gentler than utensils on very ripe melon or delicate cucumber.
4. Whisk together the dressing ingredients, taste and adjust for salt/acidity/sweetness. Drizzle dressing over the salad just before serving, and gently toss to coat.
5. Arrange the salad on a platter and top with the Ivy’s Reserve Somerset Red shards, and mint. Drizzle over a little more extra virgin olive oil just before serving.