Melon and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Pickled Watermelon and Melon Shot
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 334
- Total Fat
- 2
- Saturated Fat
- 0
- Carbohydrates
- 81
- Dietary Fiber
- 9
- Sugar
- 70
- Protein
- 7
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Sodium
- 1269
- Total: 1 hr 40 min
- Prep: 45 min
- Cook: 55 min
Ingredients
For pickled watermelon rind:
Rind from 1/3 of a watermelon, reserve flesh for the salad
1 tablespoon pickling salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 whole clove
For melon shots:
3 Galia melons
12 to 20 mint leaves
Juice of 2 limes
For the salad:
2 whole Charentais melons
1/3 of a watermelon, reserved from pickling
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lime
4 small heirloom tomatoes, cut into quarters
4 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
2 mint leaves, cut in chiffonade
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic syrup or aged balsamic vinegar
Pinch sea salt
Black pepper, to taste
Directions
- To prepare pickled watermelon rind: Trim off skin, and cut rind into 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle pickling salt over rinds and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, rinse the rind, and drain well. Cover rind with cold water in a large saucepan. Cook on medium heat just until tender.
- In another pan, heat sugar and vinegar to a boil. Tie mustard seeds, cinnamon and clove in a cheesecloth. Place in the sugar-vinegar mixture to infuse it. Add watermelon rinds, and simmer about 35 to 50 minutes until rind is transparent. Remove spice bag, and let rinds cool in the mixture.
- To prepare melon shots: Peel and slice Galia melons. Place melon in a blender with mint leaves and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture through a coffee filter or sieve. Refrigerate until serving.
- To prepare the salad: Using a small melon ball scoop, make melon balls from the Charentais melons. With a small cylindrical cookie cutter, cut small cylinders from the watermelon. Alternatively, you can use a melon ball scoop to make small balls instead.
- In a bowl, mix melon balls and cylinders with orange juice, as well as orange and lime zests, to taste.
- In another bowl, toss tomatoes with basil, mint, olive oil, balsamic syrup, sea salt, and pepper.
- To serve: Mix together melon balls and tomato salad. Place in the center of a serving plate. Arrange pickled watermelon rinds around the melon-salad mixture. Pour chilled melon juice into shot glasses or martini glasses. Serve.