Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Rosie Makes A Watermelon And Tomato Salad.


It's late summer
and I still have tomatoes and watermelons,
just waiting to be picked.
It's time to combine the two in a watermelon and tomato salad.

There's a quote out there about tomatoes.
Something about,  
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit;
wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad."

Well, I'm pushing the limits today.
I'm making a tomato and watermelon salad.
Before you turn up your collective noses and say,
"What? Watermelon and tomato?
Together?
That just doesn't sound right,"
I have to say, "Trust Rosie on this."
Have I ever led you astray?


Go out into your garden
and pick a gloriously ripe watermelon
and some vine-ripened tomatoes,
bursting with juice and flavor.
It's even better if your watermelon and tomato plants 
are volunteers.
That's natural selection at work.

Now, go make this salad.


Watermelon and Tomato Salad
1 personal-size watermelon (8-inch diameter), 
chilled, with melon balls scooped out (approximately 4 cups)
1 cup assorted tomatoes, chopped
½ cup sliced Kalamata olives
1 cup pistachios, toasted
1 cup finely diced cucumber
6 radishes, sliced paper thin
1 cup feta, crumbled
2 TB each chopped mint and basil
Zest of two limes
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. 

Slice watermelon in half. 
Using a melon baller, scoop out melon. 
Cut a small sliver on the bottom of each half 
so halves sit evenly, 
then carve a decorative edge along the top.

Dressing: 
Juice of 2 limes 
2 TB balsamic vinegar
2 tsp sugar
6 TB extra virgin olive oil (preferably fruity)
Whisk all together.
Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt.

Pour dressing over salad. Gently toss to coat.
Scoop salad into watermelon bowls and serve.


This is one of those salad conglomerates
where you keep ladling spoonfuls into your mouth,
trying to get all the flavors and textures simultaneously.
It's that good.
Oooh.
I need more sweet watermelon.
Ooooh.
I need more salty feta and briny olives.
Ooooh.
I need more herbaliciousness.
Gimme more mint.  More basil.
Ooooh.
I need more tartness.
Where's that balsamic vinegar.
Ooooh.
I need more spicy kick.
Gimme some radishes.
Ooooh.
I need more nutty.
Gimme pistachios.

On top of all that toothsome palatability,
 this is also a visual feast.


Just look at how I painstakingly carved the jagged edges.

I love it when food serves as container.

And would you look at that?
In the background?
Watermelons growing in the garden.
Thirty-plus-pounders!


Enjoy!

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