Originally posted on my old blog May 15, 2010, This delicious and visually stunning dish speaks of warm summer days and elegant, easy entertaining. I especially love and appreciate how these simple, wholesome ingredients can be combined in such a highly creative way for the most gorgeous artistic presentation and sensual flavor combinations. With less than 7 minutes of prep time, it doesn't get any easier than this – and, it reminds me of growing up in the south where salt on watermelon is the standard. In my version of world-renown Chef Ferran Adria's recipe, (often referred to as "the Salvador Dali of the kitchen"), we can now have watermelon on salt. This has become one of my summer favorites.
The subtle layers of flavor pair especially well with summer grilling and wine tasting. To finish the dish after the watermelon has vanished, soak up the remaining olive oil-yuzu, rosemary, and pepper mix with fresh cut sourdough bread.
Instructions:
Chill watermelon and cube to bite size pieces (approx 1 ½" cubes). Cut cherry tomatoes in half and scoop out seeds, set aside for garnish. In a bowl, add olive oil and yuzu or lime juice, and a pinch of HimalaSalt. Whisk with a fork to form an emulsion. Zest the lemon with long curls for visual appeal, set aside for garnish. Pick leaves, buds, and flowers off rosemary, set aside. Chop chives, set aside.
Arrange watermelon cubes on chilled HimalaSalt salt plate, spoon 1 tsp of tomato seeds on top of watermelon cube, drizzle olive oil emulsion over cubes, give about 3-4 grinds of HimalaSalt organic Tellichery pepper, grate the HimalaSalt Zen Cube over each one to fully open flavors. Place bamboo skewers into the center of each cube. Garnish by sprinkling with chives, rosemary leaves and blossoms, and finish with lemon zest.
TOTAL TIME: Less than 7 minutes.
Ingredients
Organic watermelon (seedless if possible)
4 organic cherry tomatoes
1 organic lemon
4 tbsp organic olive oil
Several sprigs organic rosemary with blossoms
HimalaSalt Organic Tellichery Pepper
HimalaSalt Zen Cube for finishing
4 sprigs organic chives
1 tsp Yuzu juice (or substitute fresh lime juice)
HimalaSalt Salt Plate (chilled for one hour in freezer)
Short bamboo skewers (enough for each watermelon cube)
* Prepared by Melissa Kushi
