Tomato Cucumber Salad with Chermoula Dressing and Melon

Summer is a time for the freshest ingredients and distinct flavors. Blending savory and sweet can be both exciting and refreshing to the palate and invigorate the senses. This salad is great as an impressive starter for a savory dinner or just as a healthy afternoon snack.

By / Photography By | June 14, 2022

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
For the pickled lime onion (make ahead):
  • ½ red onion, cut into petals
  • 1 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the salad:
  • 2 cups cherry heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1–2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Fleur de Sel salt, to taste
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 cups lemon or Armenian cucumbers, cut into wedges
  • ¼ honeydew melon, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 quart purslane*
  • 1 cup piadina bread or pita, torn into large pieces
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
For the chermoula dressing:
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
  • 1 cup cilantro with stems
  • 1 cup Italian parsley with stems
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled, rough chop
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Zest from ½ lemon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon Aleppo chili flakes
  • 1 jalapeño, seeds and stem removed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation

For pickled onions:

Mix the red onion petals with the salt and lime juice. Make sure all the petals are submerged by the juice. Refrigerate for at least an hour. The onions should get bright pink.

For chermoula dressing:

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until texture resembles a loose pesto.

For salad:

Toss the tomatoes with red wine vinegar, olive oil and sea salt.

To plate the salad, spread a quarter of the chermoula on each of 4 plates.

Lay the seasoned tomatoes on top of the chermoula base. Continue building the salad by adding a layer of cucumber and melon. Mix purslane and torn piadina bread with the pickled onions and place on top of the cucumber and melon.

Finish with a sprinkle of sumac and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve.

* Purslane is a crunchy lemony mild green. If it cannot be found at your local market, flat-leaf parsley, miner’s lettuce, watercress leaves or spinach can be substituted.

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Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
For the pickled lime onion (make ahead):
  • ½ red onion, cut into petals
  • 1 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the salad:
  • 2 cups cherry heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1–2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Fleur de Sel salt, to taste
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 cups lemon or Armenian cucumbers, cut into wedges
  • ¼ honeydew melon, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 quart purslane*
  • 1 cup piadina bread or pita, torn into large pieces
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
For the chermoula dressing:
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
  • 1 cup cilantro with stems
  • 1 cup Italian parsley with stems
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled, rough chop
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Zest from ½ lemon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon Aleppo chili flakes
  • 1 jalapeño, seeds and stem removed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

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