During my week taking part in the Eat Local Challenge - something I am *still* trying to incorporate into my normal routine - I had my second article due for Deep Dish over at Atlanta Cuisine. It was easy to be inspired by all of amazing produce available at the local farmer's markets during the summer months.
Beautiful heirloom tomatoes came together with a small organic-ly grown watermelon, fresh basil, and Sweetgrass Dairy goat cheese to make this delicious summer dinner salad - great textures and flavors all combined with the added bonus of being grown locally.
While some of these items may not be plentiful where you are this time of year, the premise is still the same: use what is in front of you at the time....for freshness in both taste and ideas. The loosey-goosey recipe for this salad is here at the end of the post but you can read the full article here at Atlanta Cuisine.
Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Salad
Serves 2 as an entree-size salad
• 2 green zebra heirloom tomatoes - washed and cut into wedges
• 1 large mortgage lifter tomato or other red heirloom tomato - washed and cut into wedges
• 1 pint small fry, red currant or other small red tomatoes - rinsed and caps removed if desires
• 1 small watermelon - seeds removed and cut into small wedges or slices - about 8 slices per plate
• 1 8 oz. tub of Sweetgrass Dairy fresh chevre
• 1 small bunch fresh basil - washed and dried and smaller leaves picked and kept whole
• good quality extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• good quality balsamic vinegar – optional
Arrange watermelon slices on plate as desired to form the base of your salad. Scatter heirloom tomato slices over the watermelon and place smaller tomatoes whole across the plate. Sprinkle basil leaves over the entire plate and add dabs of goat cheese, to taste. Drizzle the plate with a thin stream of extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. If you want to take this more into the realm of a Caprese salad, you can add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to the salad. Serve immediately.