Recipe: Melon, Arugula, and Serrano Ham with Smoked Paprika Dressing

Melon, Arugula, and Serrano Ham with Smoked Paprika Dressing
Source: The Best of Gourmet 2002, P.210

For dressing:
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (sweet or hot)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
5 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil

For salad:
2 cups 1-inch pieces cantaloupe flesh
2 cups 1-inch pieces honeydew flesh
2 large bunches arugula (3/4 pound), coarse stems discarded
4 ounces thinly sliced serrano ham, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide strips

To make dressing:
Whisk together lime juice, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended.

To make salad:
Toss cantaloupe and honeydew with half of dressing in a bowl. Decoratively arrange the arugula on a platter and then add the melon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste an drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

Cook's note:
It is important that the ham not be sliced as thinly as prosciutto usually is. Slightly thicker ham is easier to cut into strips and will stay separated in a salad instead of clumping together.