Melon Carpaccio With Lime

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 sprigs mint plus small leaves for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh red chile (such as jalapeno or Fresno)
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 5-pounds melon (such as honeydew), peeled, halved, seeded, cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
• Coconut, mango, or lemon sorbet (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest

1. Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add mint sprigs and chile. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Remove syrup from heat; cover and let steep for 15 minutes for flavors to infuse.
2. Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; stir in lime juice. DO AHEAD:
3. Arrange melon slices in a 13x9x2" glass baking dish. Pour syrup over melon in baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
4. Divide melon slices among plates, overlapping them decoratively. Pour remaining syrup in dish into a small pitcher. DO AHEAD:
5. Drizzle some of syrup over melon. Place a scoop of sorbet in center of each plate, if using; garnish with mint leaves and lime zest.

sugar, mint, fresh red chile, vanilla bean, lime juice, coconut, lime zest

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/melon-carpaccio-with-lime-51104700 (may not work)