Summer in Paradise - Watermelon Salad

Watermelon salad is the ideal appetizer for summer. The dish features an eclectic array of ingredients, but they join to create a complex, unique, and of course delicious flavor. The secret to making this watermelon salad perfect for your Summer in Paradise is lightly freezing it, to add a bit more crunch and a lot more cool. You can also use this trick to salvage a section of watermelon that might not be as crisp as desired.

Watermelon Salad (8 servings)

1/2 Watermelon
1 Avocado
1 1/2 cup Sprouts or Baby Spinach
1/2 Red Onion
1 cup Goat Cheese
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar (extra-thick if possible)
8 sprigs of Basil

Before you start this dish, set aside a large bowl to save any watermelon left over from this process, which we will use later for our dessert. Slice a whole watermelon into three 2-inch-thick slabs. Be sure to slice the watermelon width-wise, not in the same direction as the stripes on the rind, and try to place your slices in the middle of the melon, where it is largest. Wrap the watermelon slabs in plastic wrap and freeze for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, dice the avocado and red onions, and wash the sprouts well. Sprouts tend to have a strong earthy flavor, so be sure to wash them well, and use sparingly.

Remove the watermelon from the freezer, and press a circular cookie cutter into the slab. You should be able to fit 3 circles per watermelon slab, depending on the size of your cookie cutter and the size of the melon. Add toppings in this order: avocado, sprouts, red onions, and finally goat cheese. Drizzle each salad with about 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar. The longer the vinegar has been aged, the sweeter and thicker it will be, so try to select a well aged bottle. Garnish each salad with a small sprig of basil. Serve immediately.

Pro tip: If you want to prepare this dish ahead of time, follow the instructions until you have made the watermelon circles. Place on a baking sheet, wrap with plastic wrap and freeze. Simply allow 20 minutes to thaw before you plan on serving the dish. Continue by adding the toppings. There is no need to allow the watermelon to thaw completely, as this recipe calls for the slices to be lightly frozen.