Cantaloupe

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

A lightly dressed salad of baby greens would complement this entrée nicely; serve rum-drizzled grilled pound cake slices afterward.

When sweet, succulent jumbo crabmeat comes into season, this is an incredibly simple, light, and refreshing first course that requires no cooking. It can also be used as a main course for a summer luncheon.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This dessert is a trompe l'oeil, resembling the peel, rind, and flesh of a cantaloupe.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Spooning this conserve over yogurt makes a light, sweet summer dessert.

Part of the allure of this very grown-up dessert is its texture, which is softly set, rather than bouncy like Jell-O.

Whether your produce is peak-season or just so-so, this smart recipe will make it shine.

A simple combination of shallots, chile, and loads of acid, fat, and salt transforms any mediocre melon into something juicy and joy-inducing. Feta helps too.

Inspired by traditional Chinese smashed cucumber salad, this sweet and salty version features crunchy Hami melon.

A classic combination of melon and cured meat gets upgraded with the addition of briny olives and buttery nuts.