Vegetable: Red Onion, Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Vanilla and Melon Vinaigrette

posted by Mai 03-27-102 6:25 AM

Red Onion, Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Vanilla and Melon Vinaigrette
Yield: 10 servings

2 cucumbers
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 red onion, thinly sliced
5 tomatoes, medium size, cubed
Vanilla Dressing (see recipe below)
Melon Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
1/2 pound arugula


Cut the hothouse cucumbers in half and seed them with a spoon. Slice the cucumbers fine and place them in a stainless steel bowl. Add the salt and mix well with the cucumbers; allow to sit for half an hour at room temperature. Drain all the water from the cucumbers and mix with the red onions and tomatoes. Mix in the Vanilla Dressing; add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Reserve 1-2 Tablespoons of the dressing to coat arugula with the dressing.

To serve, mound the salad in the center of a round plate. Drizzle with Vanilla Dressing; add Melon Vinaigrette with cottage cheese and basil around the mound of salad.

In a stainless steel bowl, mix the arugula with the vanilla dressing and salad mix. Place the dressed arugula atop and serve immediately.

Vanilla Dressing:
1 cup white balsamic vinegar (specialty shops)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean seeds or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 dash fresh ground black pepper
Pinch of Kosher salt


Mix all ingredients together and adjust seasoning to taste. Reserve until ready to use.


Melon Vinaigrette with Cottage Cheese and Basil Chiffonade:
1/2 cup cantaloupe melon juice, fresh squeezed
3/4 cup watermelon juice, fresh squeezed
Pinch of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 Tablespoon basil leaves, finely sliced


Pour the cantaloupe melon and watermelon juices in a large bowl. Add the salt and black pepper; mix in the lemon juice. Whisk in the olive oil and adjust seasoning, if needed. When ready to serve, mix in the cottage cheese and the finely sliced basil leaves.

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