Essence of Summer Salad

ESSENCE OF SUMMER SALAD

You’re going to need something else from your garden to go with your cocktail, by the way.  Gardens are so wonderful…

• 1 lb tomatoes, large,  small and tiny, yellow, pink, red, black, green.  Large ones cut in quarters or eighths.
• 1 med. cucumber, sliced or cubed, peeled or not
• Pickled onions from following recipe, drained
• 1 pkg good feta, crumbled
• 2 c. cubed, perfect watermelon
• ¼ c. chopped mint
• ½ c. whole basil leaves

Toss all ingredients except feta together, pour on ½ the dressing, toss then taste.  Add more if you wish.  Strew feta.  Eat.

Dressing

• ¼ c. rice vinegar
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• ¾ c. peanut oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 t sugar

SHAKE IT UP OR WHISK IT UP.

Pickled Red Onions

• 1 sm. Red onion, halved then sliced thin
• 1 c white wine vinegar
• ¼ c sugar
• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Bring vinegar and sugar to simmer until sugar dissolves, pour over onions and add red pepper flakes, let it sit at least 30 minutes then refrigerate and cool.  These will last in your refrigerator forever.

Image Credit: Watermelon Salad by Eric Petruno is licensed under C.C. 2.0