Spicy Watermelon Salsa

By Philip Hoel
@Top_Chef_Phil

With summer coming on-we're always looking for a great way to use the fruits of the season; and watermelon is the quintessencial fruit of summer. I actually got the idea for this recipe from watching Top Chef, on Bravo TV. In a couple of seasons, some of the cheftestants made dishes combining watermelon and heirloom tomatoes. This got me to thinking, if watermelon and tomato could work together-why not replace tomato with watermelon in my standard salsa recipe? It worked!

This recipe works very well over say grilled chicken, or pork, or even a mild poached fish; just add a light side and a cold glass of ice tea, and you have a great dish for a warm summers evening.(a couple of my spanish friends said it doesn't taste bad on hotdogs either-I'll take their word for it.)

Blue Ribbon Recipe

This salsa is wonderfully spicy and flavorful. We served it on grilled chicken, but it would also be great on seafood or just with chips!

[Read more about this recipe in Janet's Notebook!] The Test Kitchen

Rating:

★★★★★ 7 votes

Comments:

60 Comments

Prep:

15 Min

Method:

No-Cook or Other

Ingredients

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4 c: seeded and chopped watermelon
2-3 Tbsp: fresh lime juice
1/4 c: finely chopped red onion
1-2 Tbsp: chopped fresh cilantro
1-2: jalapeno peppers seeded and finely chopped(for more heat leave some of the seeds and membranes in)
1/8 tsp: salt(or to taste)

How to Make Spicy Watermelon Salsa

Step-by-Step

1Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Serve with a slotted spoon(but don't discard juice-see note).

Yield: approx. 4 cups

Note: There will be a lot of juice left over-don't discard it. Just strain it to remove any large solids; pour over ice and enjoy!

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