Description
This dish will show that although watermelon is great on its own, there are many flavor profiles that pair great with it, too.
Ingredients
Scale
Watermelon Steak Salad
- 1/4 seedless watermelon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
Mint Labneh
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp mint, chopped
- 3 tbsp parsley, chopped
Citronette
- 2 lemons, zest and juice
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 cup olive oil
Pickled Coix Seed
- 1/4 cup coix seed
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 pinch of turmeric
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
Jicama Relish
- 1/2 cup jicama, peeled, small dice
- 1/2 cup cantaloupe, peeled and deseeded, small dice
- 1/4 cup pickled coix seed
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- 1/4 citronette
Bread-and-Butter-Cucumber
- 1/2 seedless cucumber, small dice
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 3/4 tsp celery salt
To assemble:
- 1 tbsp black sesame seed
- 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seed
- 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
- 1/4 watermelon radish, thinly shaved, stored in ice water
- 1/2 fennel bulb, thinly shaved
- 1 head blonde frisee, picked
- 1/2 jalapeño, thinly shaved
- 6 cherry heirloom tomatoes, halved
- 1 grapefruit, supremed
- 2 mint leaves
- Olive oil, to garnish
Instructions
Watermelon Steak Salad
- Cut off the rind and cut into steaks ¾-inch thick, 4 inches long, and 2 1/2 inches wide, 3 to 4 steaks depending on the size of the melon. Mix the salt and sugar together and sprinkle on the steaks. Top the steaks with the lemon zest and seal in a Ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible, and set in the refrigerator with a weight on top of it. A dinner plate or two would be fine.
Mint Labneh
- Using a strainer and cheesecloth, strain some of the liquid out of the yogurt for an hour or longer if you can. Once strained, add all ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth.
Citronette
- Add all ingredients except the oil in a blender and blend until smooth. With the blender running, start adding the oil slowly with a thin stream until all incorporated.
Pickled Coix Seed
- Add all ingredients in a pot and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes until fully cooked through. Strain and cool in ice water.
Jicama Relish
- Toss all ingredients together in a bowl, place in the refrigerator and allow to sit and marinate for an hour.
Bread-and-Butter-Cucumber
- Put the cucumber in a jar and bring the remaining ingredients to a boil and allow to cool before pouring over the cucumber. Allow to sit for a few hours before using – the longer the better.
To assemble:
- Take out watermelon steaks and allow to dry on paper towels to remove any liquid. Put a spoonful of mint labneh in the middle of the plate and form a circle, then place the watermelon in the middle of the labneh and top with the sesame seeds. Cover the top of the steak with a thin layer of the jicama relish, and top with some crumbled feta and three watermelon radishes.
- Mix a salad with shaved fennel, frisee, and dress with citronette, and build over the steak. Garnish with shaved jalapeño, bread-and-butter cucumber, tomato, grapefruit, and torn mint leaf. Drizzle olive oil over the entire dish and serve.