Yesterday was such a beautiful sunny day that we went for a bike ride to the forest. I wanted to see the Scottish Highlands cows again. They are kept at the forest to naturally mow the grass and they are quite the attraction. They are such stunning animals and it’s a nice break from the city.
My friend Karla introduced me to Tajin, a chili-lime seasoning, a few years ago. She would pretty much sprinkle it on everything from vegetables to fruits. I instantly loved it. I really wanted to eat a healthy salad yesterday and with the heat, the lighter the better. I made it with a mix of watermelon, melon, 2 different kinds of apples, a bit of blueberries and some arugula. For the dressing, I roasted some shallots in the oven and then blended them with the rest of the ingredients. This gives the dressing a nice creaminess. And because the Tajin seasoning goes so well with melon and apples, I added it to the dressing. It’s not a very spicy dressing, it’s subtle. The Tajin and cayenne just give it an extra kick.
This recipe serves 2.
Ingredients:
2 cups of diced watermelon
2 cups of diced galia melon
100gr of feta, crumbled
½ red apple, thinly sliced
½ green apple, thinly sliced
½ cup of blueberries
2 handfuls of arugula
For the roasted shallot vinaigrette & chili vinaigrette:
4 small shallots
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
¼ of a cup of apple cider vinegar
1/3 of a cup of olive oil
½ teaspoon of Tajin chili-lime powder
1 tablespoon of honey
Pinch of cayenne
Salt to taste
For decoration:
1 handful of daikon cress
First roast the shallots; place them in an oven tray with the skin on. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and roast them at 180C/350F for 45 minutes. Once they are roasted, allow them to cool down enough to touch them. Then take the skins off.
Blend the roasted shallots with the rest of the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Add salt last, after you’ve tasted it because the Tajin is already salty.
Divide the arugula between two plates. Then add the watermelon, melon and apples. Add the crumbled feta and the blueberries. Finish by adding the daikon cress. Serve with the vinaigrette on the side.
Thank you!