The Heat is on!

Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Miso Lime Dressing

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY RENÉE KOHLMAN

There are many things to love about summer. Bonfires under starry skies. Iced lemonade. The perfect sundress. Peonies and poppies. And of course, juicy, juicy watermelon. I swear that nary a summer’s day goes by when I’m not eating watermelon. Ice cold from the fridge, it soothes the summer soul, and as the juices dribble down my chin, I’m reminded of being a kid, sitting on a stoop without a care in the world except who’ll win the next bout of tag. Choosing a watermelon is always a little bit of a guessing game. Sure, I check that it feels heavy and has that tell-tale yellow spot which is supposed to ensure that it was ripened in the field, and then picked. And I try to find a round (never long and oval) melon that has no bruising. But, at the end of the day, I cross my fingers and leave it up to chance. Kinda like when I buy a lottery ticket. But, when you get a melon that is sweet, juicy, ripe, and no mushiness in sight - it’s the stuff of summertime bliss.

It has no seeds, of course. Do they even make watermelon with seeds anymore? I think we all have memories of being kids and sitting on picnic tables, having watermelon seed spitting contests. Now, the seeds are those small, pallid pips. The black watermelon seeds of our youth are long gone, like Sony Walkmans and phones with cords.

The cool thing about watermelon is it’s pretty much a blank slate, making it the perfect base for a summer salad. I could have gone the traditional route with feta and mint, which is lovely of course, but for this I wanted to incorporate the bounty of heirloom tomatoes, and make it a little spicy, because it’s summer and I’m already sweating. I was inspired by Southeast Asian flavours, so I wanted the salad to be sweet/salty/spicy/savoury.

Tomatoes and watermelon are lovely partners, and they match nicely with the acidic and slightly funky miso dressing. Cucumbers add crunch, and of course you can’t have a summer salad without a tumble of fresh herbs, just picked from the kitchen garden. Crispy shallots have a role to play here too, and they’re a cinch to make. Their earthiness really jives with the sweet and spicy notes already playing.

I sliced up a small red chili - one of the super hot ones - and it provides plenty of heat. If you’re serving this salad to those who may not love spicy food, give the chili a pass, as there’s mild heat in the dressing. Roasted peanuts are the perfect finishing touch, and while they may not be the obvious choice to pair with watermelon, here it totally works.

Find your largest, prettiest platter for this salad, and arrange the ingredients in a complementary fashion. Besides being delicious and full of vitamins and minerals, this salad is a real beauty. It’s sure to emit oooohs and ahhhhhs from those gathered around you. And, feeding loved ones al fresco is another thing to love about summer. Maybe the most important of all.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Miso Lime Dressing and Crispy Shallots

Serves 4-6

2 shallots

1 Tbs all-purpose flour

¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil

½ small seedless watermelon

454 g assorted heirloom tomatoes, halved or quartered

2 mini cucumbers, sliced

1 cup assorted fresh herbs such as mint and basil, torn

1 small red chili pepper, thinly sliced

¼ cup (60 mL) roasted, salted peanuts

Black pepper

Dressing:

2 Tbs (30 mL) canola oil

2 Tbs (30 mL) fresh lime juice

1 Tbs (15 mL) fish sauce

2 tsp (10 mL) miso paste

2 tsp (10 mL) honey

1 tsp (5 mL) sriracha brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Be sure to remove any that are browning too quickly as you don’t want them to burn. Drain the shallots on a paper towel lined plate.

2. Peel the watermelon and cut it into flat, triangular pieces. Arrange the watermelon on a large platter and top with the cucumber slices, tomatoes, herbs, chili, and peanuts.

3. To make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Top with the crispy shallots and grind fresh black pepper over top. Serve immediately.

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