This salad practically shouts out ‘summer’! I love using fruit such as mango, pomegranate or apple in salads, but for this recipe I have chosen juicy, sweet watermelon and jazzed it up with tomatoes, goat’s cheese and candied walnuts.

It is so refreshing, and the sharp flavour of the goat’s cheese sets off the sweetness of the watermelon nicely.

This is a perfect summer salad that goes really well with beef, lamb or venison.

INGREDIENTS

500g watermelon flesh, cut into cubes
400g baby roma tomatoes, halved
20g chèvre

CANDIED WALNUTS

100g walnuts
110g sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch salt

BALSAMIC DRESSING

2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon ‚finely chopped mint leaves
pinch salt and pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a tray with baking paper. To make the candied walnuts, place the walnuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes. Alternatively, toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat until lightly coloured. Remove and set aside to cool.

Melt the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly to break up any lumps. Once the sugar has fully melted and is amber in colour, add the cayenne pepper, cinnamon and salt and mix well. Quickly add the walnuts and stir to make sure all the nuts are nicely coated in the toffee.

Remove the pan from the heat and spread the nuts on the prepared tray to cool. Once cooled and hardened, break them into smaller pieces and keep them in an airtight container until ready to use.

Whisk together all the ingredients for the balsamic dressing and set aside.

To assemble the salad, gently combine the watermelon and tomatoes together in a mixing bowl, then transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with the walnuts, then crumble the chèvre over the top. Drizzle with the balsamic dressing.

Recipe appears courtesy of Cooked.com.au. 

From Have You Eaten by Billy Law.