Sep 4, 2014

Summer Salad with Watermelon, Feta, Okra, Cherry Tomato, Balsamic Reduction, and Cilantro Dressing

This summer salad recipe was created with the intention of getting rid of leftover ingredients in the fridge. It may not look as precise and refined especially all of the ingredients were previously used or cut for other dishes. 

Take the watermelon for instance, my dad pre-cut the melon into bite size pieces in order to save me some troubles eating the fruit. He didn't know that I was going to use the watermelon as one of the salad ingredients. That's why the melon cubes on the plate were kind of..jagged. Not even mention the numerous black seeds scattered throughout.


Ok, I also admit that my knife skill sucks.


Summer salad with watermelon, feta, okra, cherry tomato, balsamic reduction, and cilantro dressing - 




Ingredients (for 1 to 2 small portions)?



  • Some watermelon
  • Some feta cheese
  • Some cherry tomatoes
  • 1 Okra
  • Small bundle of cilantro
  • Some extra virgin olive oil
  • Some sea salt
  • Some balsamic vinegar


How?

Take a food processor and add in one small bundle of roughly chopped cilantro. Add a small pinch of sea salt and blend with just enough extra virgin olive in order for the machine to mix well.


Pre-cut and remove the seeds from the watermelon. Also cut feta cheese into same size cubes, well, at least I tried. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Slice the okra.




Take a small pot and pour in some balsamic vinegar. Turn to medium heat and reduce the balsamic vinegar till thickens a little, about 1/3.


The rest of the work is just careful plating. Arrange the watermelon and feta so they form a checkered pattern. Drizzle some cilantro dressing and balsamic reduction on the side. Decorate with okra, tomatoes, and cilantro leaves.




Use more balsamic reduction if a sourish taste is preferred. Try to take it easy on the salt since there's already some saltiness from the feta. You can always sprinkle the salad with salt flakes afterwards if needed.


Other salad recipe:

Fancy salad is not as hard as it looks - utilizing store bought ingredients to create restaurant quality greens

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