Melon and Watercress Salad with Marcona Almond-Honey Dressing
/Summary: I made this salad up one night during a bout of inspiration and was incredibly pleased. It is refreshing, zingy and just lovely all around.
*It was chosen as a Community Pick on Food52 and also featured in this beautiful article about cooking with scraps.
Yield: serves 2-4
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch watercress, washed, leaves picked off and divided in half*, stems reserved
- a hunk of fresh cantaloupe or other such melon, sliced thinly into strips
- 1 fig, slivered
- 4 leaves fresh mint, chopped
- blue cheese for crumbling
- small handful Marcona almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- fresh lime juice
Instructions:
For the salad: Layer the first four ingredients, half-bunch of watercress through mint, on a serving dish and crumble the Blue cheese on top (as much as you like).
For the dressing: In a mini-food processor (or the like), blend watercress stems (about a half cup), almonds, honey and 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and squeeze some lime juice in. Blend again. Taste, adjusting salt/pepper/lime/olive oil to your preferred consistency and zing. Spoon dressing over the salad and serve.
*You'll have half your watercress leaves left over: make cucumber and watercress sandwiches! Another salad!
