Ever have one of those days when you come home from work, and it’s — ugh — too hot to cook dinner, and yet, you still want a satisfying, homemade meal? Sometimes you just gotta go with your cravings and make something on the fly! This was exactly what long-time 650 resident and avid gardener, Suzanne, did last week. Her answer to dinner on a muggy 650 night? Create a delicious Tomato-Watermelon Salad with items she had on hand, some of which came from her own garden. She posted the result to Facebook, and it was stunning — not only beautiful, but easy to make!
I think everyone who saw that post asked for the recipe — including me. Except, there wasn’t one, exactly. Suzanne knew what she wanted to make, but couldn’t find a recipe that worked for her, so she created her own. And fortunately for us, she’s been kind enough to provide the recipe for her Tomato-Watermelon Salad here on 650Food. The text and image below are all hers (thank you again, Suzanne!). Quantities are approximate, so just adjust to your taste and enjoy!
On a recent warm summer evening with uncharacteristic residual monsoonal moisture (I confess, I am a Bay Area Native and can’t tolerate an ounce of humidity!), I craved a watermelon-tomato salad. Not being completely jazzed about some of the recipes I’d seen, I decided to create my own. Fortunately, I was blessed with fresh tomatoes and basil from our garden – and with simple dishes such as this, freshness is essential. It was quick and easy — and just right for beating the heat.
Recipe: Tomato-Watermelon Salad
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients:
For two servings I used approximately
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup watermelon
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
½ can white cannellini beans
2 tablespoons fresh basil, cut into chiffonade
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon minced jalapeño,
Juice of one lime
To taste:
Extra-virgin olive oil
Champagne vinegar
Fresh-cracked black pepper
How to:
- Combine the two fruits with red onion,white beans, basil, salt, white pepper, jalapeño, lime juice, champagne vinegar, olive oil.
Splash in extra-virgin olive oil and champagne vinegar to taste. - Finish this simple, cooling dish with fresh-cracked black pepper.
Summer in the 650: Suzanne’s Tomato-Watermelon Salad
What are you making with ingredients from your garden? Have you created a simple, fresh dish that you’d like to share? Or maybe even a decadent cocktail or dessert? If you’d like to share a recipe and the backstory on its creation here on 650Food, contact me by leaving a comment below or through 650Food’s Facebook page (where you can also give us a “Like,” if you’re so inclined).