Melon with lemon syrup and candied ginger

Ready in just seven minutes, this refreshing melon salad can be served as a side dish or as a light dessert. A mix of fresh melon mingles with the bright flavors of lemon, a little bit of sugar to enhance the sweetness, and small bit of cayenne pepper to bring the tiniest hit of heat to the table. To shave some minutes off your prep time, substitute an equal amount of superfine sugar for the regular granulated sugar—it will dissolve instantly. Choosing ripe melons can be a little tough, but here are a couple hints: For cantaloupe and honeydew, choose ones that have a sweet aroma at the stem. For watermelon, look for a yellow or soft white spot on the bottom of the melon.