Tomato and Watermelon Salad
"From Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition by Chef Gerald Hirigoyen . This Frenchman makes fabulous food in San Francisco and this salad is an example of the simple treatment of fresh ingredients at which he excels."
photo by Probably This
- Ready In:
- 20mins
- Ingredients:
- 9
- Serves:
-
4-6
ingredients
- 3 -4 heirloom tomatoes, small to medium, in assorted colors, cored and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 cup watermelon, seedless flesh (red or yellow)
- 1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon herbs, fresh, chopped (mixed in any combination ( basil, tarragon, chives, and cilantro)
- 1⁄4 teaspoon coriander seed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
directions
- In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, avocado, and herbs.
- In a spice grinder, grind the coriander seeds to a fine powder. Add the ground coriander to the tomato mixture and toss gently.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the tomato mixture and toss to coat evenly. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
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Reviews
-
Great salad. I added 1/4 of jalapeno( shaved),diced kalamata olives, cubed feta cheese and chopped mint. I loved the dressing, goes well with this salad. Thank you. -
I not a fan of avocado. Is there something else I could add? The rest of the ingredients sound great. Can't wait to try! Thanks! -
I don't know how cooks cut up avocado into those perfect little cubes. That's why I didn't take a picture of the final product. I end up mashing the avocado beyond recognition. As other reviewers suggested, I also subbed white balsamic vinegar. It is refreshing, beautiful, colorful and very healthy! I used all the herbs suggested (from our garden!) and subbed party yellow watermelon for standard red. Next time I'll try heirloom tomatoes once I can a chance to pilfer some from my secret location. Thanks, Kate! Reviewed for Veg Tag/June. -
Interesting salad, I love using watermelon in savory things. I like all of these ingredients very much and they go well together. I found the avocado got a little lost, as we're big avo fans I'd probably use 2 next time. I like the dressing, but I think next time I'd use a white balsamic or something lighter, one for a milder flavour and two, to retain the beautiful colours. Served this at a family dinner and everyone enjoyed it. Thanks Chef Kate! -
This recipe has been included in book#246531. Yum -- what a refreshing change from the usual "green salads" I serve during summer. I used white balsamic vinegar based on another review and it worked perfectly with this recipe; not too overpowering as regular balsamic vinegar might be. Since I couldn't find heirloom tomatoes, I added some melon balls to the recipe for color. For my tastes, I thought the salad was too sweet with them, so I took them out and tried the salad without the melon balls. It was perfect -- a little sweet and a little tangy, and deliciously buttery from the avocados. I used all the herbs listed and each gave the salad a distinct and delicious flavor. This will be made many times again! Thanks for posting this winner.
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Tweaks
-
VG, but very sweet. Drain the beans first because it was too saucy
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Chef Kate
Annapolis, 60
<p>I have always loved to cook. When I was little, I cooked with my Grandmother who had endless patience and extraordinary skill as a baker. And I cooked with my Mother, who had a set repertoire, but taught me many basics. Then I spent a summer with a French cousin who opened up a whole new world of cooking. And I grew up in New York City, which meant that I was surrounded by all varieties of wonderful food, from great bagels and white fish to all the wonders of Chinatown and Little Italy, from German to Spanish to Mexican to Puerto Rican to Cuban, not to mention Cuban-Chinese. And my parents loved good food, so I grew up eating things like roasted peppers, anchovies, cheeses, charcuterie, as well as burgers and the like. In my own cooking I try to use organics as much as possible; I never use canned soup or cake mix and, other than a cheese steak if I'm in Philly or pizza by the slice in New York, I don't eat fast food. So, while I think I eat and cook just about everything, I do have friends who think I'm picky--just because the only thing I've ever had from McDonald's is a diet Coke (and maybe a frie or two). I have collected literally hundreds of recipes, clipped from the Times or magazines, copied down from friends, cajoled out of restaurant chefs. Little by little, I am pulling out the ones I've made and loved and posting them here. Maybe someday, every drawer in my apartment won't crammed with recipes. (Of course, I'll always have those shelves crammed with cookbooks.) I'm still amazed and delighted by the friendliness and the incredible knowledge of the people here. 'Zaar has been a wonderful discovery for me.</p>
