Watermelon & Tomato Salad with Pickled Mustard Seeds and Chunky Herb Dressing

Serves 8

Watermelon has the perfect level of sweetness to balance a salad full of salty feta, acidic tomatoes, punchy pickled mustard seeds and bright herbs. Watermelon is also full of water, which can drain all of the flavors to the bottom of the serving bowl. By allowing the watermelon to release its juices before assembling and by spooning pockets of flavor from the mustard seeds and dressing on top, we have created the salad of our dreams.

Pickled Mustard Seeds

½ cup distilled white vinegar

½ cup water

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

⅓ cup yellow mustard seeds

Salad

8 cups cubed seedless watermelon

12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Chunky Herb Dressing

½ cup mint leaves, roughly chopped 

1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

1 bunch green onions, roughly chopped

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Juice from 2 large limes 

1 jalapeño, seeds removed, minced 

1 garlic clove, minced

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch ground black pepper

Bring the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the mustard seeds and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes. The seeds should be plump and tender. Let the pickled seeds cool to room temperature and store them, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Place the cubed watermelon in a strainer over a bowl to allow some of the water to drain off while you make the dressing. In a medium-size bowl, add the dressing ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside.

On a large platter or in a large bowl, gently mix together the cubed watermelon, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. Spoon the Chunky Herb Dressing evenly over the top. Spoon the Pickled Mustard Seeds on top in small clusters and serve.

Reserve the watermelon juice strained from the cubes for another use.