Enjoy a taste of summer
Summer Tomato & Watermelon Salad celebrates the fruits of the season. Every summer Chef Thierry Burkle of The Grill at Leon Springs in San Antonio, TX, pairs fresh heirloom tomatoes grown in the Texas Hill Country with sweet watermelons and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Unfortunately, The Grill suffered a fire in May 2021 completely destroying the nearly 100 year-old building.
| Prep time: | 15 minutes |
| Cook time: | 10 minutes |
| Servings: | 6 – 8 |
Ingredients
- 2 – 4 high-acid Tomatoes
- 1 ripe seedless Watermelon (small or personal size)
- 4 -6 fresh Basil leaves
- Feta Cheese, crumbled
- 4 – 6 ounces Balsamic Reduction (see step 1 for recipe)
Preparation
- To make reduction: In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine 1 cup Balsamic vinegar and 1 cup white sugar. Stir and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Continue cooking until mixture reaches a syrup-like consistency (coats the back of a spoon) — about 10 minutes. Let cool. Store in refrigerator. May be prepared days in advance.
- Cut Watermelon into fork-size sections. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Pile on plate.
- Chiffonade basil leaves (roll all leaves together cigar-style and cut crosswise into strips), crumble Feta over salad, then sprinkle with basil.
- Drizzle with Balsamic reduction.
Wine Pairing Guide
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