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Today’s recipe is a Marco pick. I had a fourth grilling recipe that I wanted to send out but I didn’t fully love it. He helped me switch gears to a simple summer staple, the Watermelon + Tomato Salad.
If you have been following along since the beginning, this salad will look familiar. Last summer we ate it basically every other week. I sent out a no-recipe recipe for it many times but today I’ll get more specific and share all the ways you can spin it. Let’s jump right in.
Watermelon
The only rule is that it must be seedless. Not a single person on earth enjoys eating watermelon with seeds. Red and yellow flesh both work fine. On an average day, I stick a spoon right into the melon and make irregular scoops. You can make nice scoops with a melon baller, remove the rind and cube it nicely, or hack away at it until you have bite-size pieces. It all tastes the same. Recently I have been into removing the rind, slicing it, and then cutting triangles out of the watermelon. It is all for aesthetic and your watermelon will taste the same in any shape you chose.
What’s the best way to cut a watermelon?
This is how I cut a watermelon to have the most yield every time. Cut it in half through the center. Place the watermelon flat cut side down so it is sturdy and not wobbly. Carefully slice straight across the top removing the rind. Then run your knife from the top cut side to the bottom cut side. Always cut away from you and curve your knife as you move. This is the same way I cut the peel off of citrus. Our goal is to only cut the rind and leave as much fruit as we can behind.
When the rind is removed completely, you can slice and dice into any shape you want! No wasted watermelon!
Tomatoes
You can use any tomato you have but my choice is always a small variety. Cherry tomatoes, and other varieties similar in size, are a nice addition to this salad. Something that you only have to slice in half is ideal. When I use a large variety that is diced the salad becomes too wet and the tomatoes fall apart. It starts to look messy and everything becomes harder to eat. Whatever tomato you choose, just make sure they have great flavor and don’t forget to salt them.
Alliums + Herbs
Watermelon is sweet but I like to turn this salad savory. Tomatoes, cheese, salt, pepper, olive oil, alliums, and herbs all help with adding savory flavors. Shallots are a little sweet with a delicate flavor and they are my first choice. I have used red and white onions multiple times and they did not ruin the salad. All alliums must be super super thin. We want them to just peek through all the other flavors going on and not steal the show.
There is an ongoing debate that if a shallot comes with two bulbs is it one shallot or two?
I say it is one because they grew together under the protective outer layers. I’m calling for a small shallot in this recipe. So I did take this large shallot with two bulbs and only use one of the bulbs. It is the equivalent of one small shallot. Don’t think about it too much. Just wing it and go with your gut here.
Before we add them to the salad, the slices get a little 15-ish minute soak in vinegar. It helps remove some of the sharpness and softens them slightly. This recipe calls for white balsamic. I’m sure you all know how much I love white balsamic by now. In a pinch, I have used regular balsamic vinegar. The only downside is that it turns the salad brown but it will taste just fine. This summer I have experimented with the Meyer Lemon Honey and Strawberry Rosé vinegar from Acid League that I mentioned a few weeks ago. They all work! A vinegar with a bit of sweetness is the best.
Basil is my favorite herb because I like the salad to swing savory. Marco prefers mint but mint gives me fruit salad vibes. Cilantro is another tender herb that keeps the salad savory. Try Thai basil for a fun kick of flavor!
Cheese
The two kinds of cheese I use most often are feta and goat chèvre. Feta holds its shape better and brings briny flavor. Goat cheese is creamy and tangy BUT when it gets to room temp it starts to soften and can spread all over the salad if tossed. This doesn’t ruin the taste but it starts to look like a hot mess. If you use goat cheese, I recommend crumbling it over the salad at the end. Cotija, which we have leftover from last week, is another nice crumbly and salty option.
Layer the ingredients to build the salad on your serving tray. Start with the watermelon pieces because the pieces will most likely be the largest ingredient. Tuck in basil leaves and tomatoes. Scatter the shallots all around and crumble feta on top. Take the white balsamic that the shallots sat in and drizzle that over the top. Reach for your good olive oil and drizzle it everywhere. You will be surprised how good watermelon tastes with olive oil soaked into it. Season the whole thing with salt. A nice flaky salt or fine sea salt is best. Finish the salad with a light crack of black pepper, not too much, and dive in!
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Watermelon + Tomato Salad
1 Small shallot
1 Small seedless watermelon
2 cups Small tomatoes
1 cup Loosely packed basil leaves
4oz Feta
2T White balsamic
Olive oil
Flaky salt
Pepper
Slice one small shallot into thin rounds. Add them to a small bowl with 2T of white balsamic vinegar. Let them sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
Halve tomatoes, lay them on a paper towel lined tray, and sprinkle them with salt. Let them sit for a few minutes and then blot excess moisture.
Scoop, cube, or slice watermelon into small pieces. Arrange watermelon on a serving tray. Tuck in torn basil leaves and salted tomatoes. Add shallot rings on top and crumble feta over the whole thing. Spoon the white balsamic from the shallots over the salad and drizzle with good olive oil. Season with a big pinch of flaky salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
Watermelon season runs through September so we have plenty of time to enjoy this salad. Spin it any way you want and let me know which way is your favorite!
Talk to you Sunday! M