It wouldn't be summer without bright, juicy watermelon and the charred flavors of grilling. Watermelon hits the grill in this recipe before finding it's way into a summer salsa.
I'm not a huge cilantro fan, so I opted for fresh basil. Oddly enough, I actually wish I had tried this with cilantro instead. Basil works well here, but using cilantro will give you a more traditional fresh salsa flavor. I was hoping for a smokey flavor burst from the grilled watermelon and jalapeno. While the grilled watermelon is a fun twist, it didn't add much grilled flavor. I love the idea of watermelon in salsa, but likely won't bother with the grilling step next time. Either way, this salsa is bright, juicy and flavorful. It's a nice chance of pace from your traditional salsa and the perfect way to celebrate the last days of summer.
Grilled Watermelon Salsa
adapted from Fine Cooking
Ingredients:
3 to 4 1-inch thick slices seedless watermelon (enough to make 2 cups diced)
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
2 cups cups seeded diced cucumber
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
juice of 1/2 lime
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
* Grill watermelon slices over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes per side or just until grill marks appear. Grill jalapeno over medium-high heat until skin is blistered and slightly charred.
* When cool enough to handle, dice watermelon and finely chop jalapeno.
* In a large bowl combine watermelon, jalapeno, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, basil and lime juice. Refrigerate 4 hours to allow flavors to develop. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Food for Thought: "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it." -Anne of Green Gables
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