Balsamic Glazed Melon, Prosciutto and Mozzarella Skewers

These melon, prosciutto and mozzarella skewers are drizzled with balsamic glaze for an updated version of a classic appetizer that’s perfect for a summer party or picnic! 

So, what do you do when you get invited to a backyard BBQ or need to pack an elegant picnic, and you need to make something fairly quick and easy that doesn’t need to be kept warm, or be reheated?  The first things that come to my mind are fruit, charcuterie and cheese!

Something about melon just says summer to me!  It’s light and refreshing and makes the perfect starter for just about any meal, or if you are like me, when it comes to this combination, it might even become the entire meal!!

Melon, mozzarella and prosciutto is a pretty traditional combination, however, by putting it on skewers and adding the balsamic glaze it becomes a beautiful party appetizer or a healthy picnic dish.  You can use a white tile or platter as the serving dish then drizzle the glaze similar to the way I did in the photos to create an eye-catching presentation that will definitely impress your guests or fellow party goers.  Then just keep the extra, pre-made skewers in the refrigerator and replenish the platter as needed.

If you’re not entertaining and just want these as a light lunch or afternoon snack, you can skip the skewers and put all the ingredients on a small plate then drizzle with balsamic glaze.  It takes a little less time and you still get the same tasty flavor combo!

So let’s talk about balsamic glaze for a minute – this is one of my favorite things to keep in the kitchen because it goes with so many things and can transform something kind of ordinary, into something really special.   I use it on salads, crab cakes, bruschetta, berries – just about anything you want to enhance with a really intense version balsamic flavor.

I use a pre-made glaze that I buy at Eataly here in Chicago.   While some people might say it’s better to make your own, I think this is one of those items you are better off to purchase.   I think it’s worth it to purchase it because you don’t have to worry about messing up the reduction, yes, that does happen, and then you also have it available at a moment’s notice.  It keeps for quite a while, so you don’t have to worry about it going bad quickly either.

So next time you get invited to a summer party or get ready to pack a summer picnic grab a cantaloupe and a few other ingredients and whip up these tasty skewers!

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Things You May Want for this Recipe

Balsamic Glaze – Just like with balsamic vinegar, the higher quality the vinegar, the more expensive, so if you are willing to spend a little more you can usually find several types of glaze at a specialty Italian store.  This version from Alessi is available in more grocery stores and has a good flavor.

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