Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad

--submitted by chef Laurent Tourondel of BLT Restaurants

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3” piece of fresh ginger
¾ cup Olive Oil
3 tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
3 cups Heirloom Tomatoes, quartered or cut into 2” pieces
2 cups Seedless Watermelon, cut into1” chunks
2 tablespoons Red Onion, julienne
3 tablespoons Thai Basil, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped Chive
2 tablespoons Chervil leaves 2 tablespoons chopped Parsley
4 Radish, sliced thinly
2 teaspoons Mustard Oil
4 oz Feta, crumbled into large pieces
Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Make the Ginger Juice. Grate the ginger on the large holes of a grater. Wrap the ginger in a corner of a lint-free cloth. Squeeze the ginger over a cup to extract the juice. You should have 2 tablespoons of juice.

Marinate the Tomatoes & Watermelon. In a medium bowl, whisk the 3/4c olive oil, vinegar, ginger juice and salt and pepper until blended. Add the heirloom tomatoes, watermelon, basil and onion and gently toss until fully coated. Taste for seasoning. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Finish Salad. Transfer the tomatoes and watermelon to a serving bowl. Gently fold in the chopped herbs and radish slices and spoon any marinade remaining in the other bowl on top. Scatter the cheese around the salad and finish with the mustard oil. Serve immediately.