A ‘melon and ‘mater’ salad for summer from Food Network chef and CRAVE Kitchen Stage emcee Jason Smith. Photo furnished
The summer garden brings two of my favorite things: tomatoes (“‘maters”) and watermelon. I could sit and eat my weight in both. A lot of folks are skeptical when I tell ‘em that I like to eat ‘maters with my melon, but trust me, it’s a match made in fruit heaven. After all, in case y’all didn’t know, a ‘mater is a fruit! A big bowl of quartered ‘maters and cubed watermelon with fresh basil has always been one of my favorite summer snacks. When I got to thinkin’ about it, I realized that this snack could be twisted into a scrumptious salad. Once you wrap your tongue around this fresh summertime treat, it won’t take long for y’all to hop on my ‘mater-melon bandwagon! Recipe serves 4-6.
Ingredients:
• 4 cups watermelon balls or cubes
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 2 orange or yellow tomatoes, diced
• 1 pint mixed-color cherry tomatoes
• 8-10 leaves fresh basil, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups feta cheese
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, onion, tomatoes and basil. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper, and pour over salad. Toss to coat.
Sprinkle with cheese and serve right away, or place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Tip: Use heirloom tomatoes if available — they add lots of color and flavor!
A native of Laurel County, Jason Smith is a self-taught chef, caterer, floral designer, event planner and entertainer, known not only for his expert culinary skills but for his down-home personality and unique “country bling” fashion sense. Smith has emerged triumphant in several competitive kitchens of the Food Network universe and has appeared on many other nationally televised television shows. He recently published his first cookbook, “Lord Honey: Traditional Southern Recipes with a Country Bling Twist.”
Smith will serve as host and emcee for CRAVE food + music festival’s CRAVE Kitchen Stage, Aug. 26-27 at Masterson Station Fairgrounds, with two book signings and meet-and-greets scheduled for the weekend. Visit www.cravelexington.com/food for more details.