Melon, Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Insalata di melone, pomodori e cetriolo

​​"My longtime friend Viola Buitoni is a chef instructor in San Francisco and one of the best cooks I know. Enjoy her recipes!" - Franluca

For 4 people
1 small sweet melon
2 ripe tomatoes (or 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes)
1 small cucumber
1/4 cup pistachios
2 to 3 very thin red onion slices (optional)
1 Meyer lemon
1 handful mint leaves
salt, pepper and olive oil to taste

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Slice, peel and chunk the melon.
Wedge the tomatoes (or halve if using cherry tomatoes).
Slice the cucumber thinly.
Make paper thin half moons of the onion, if you decide to add it
Stack and roll the mint leaves longitudinally then cut in very thin ribbons.
Chop the pistachios fairly finely.
Arrange the melon, tomatoes and cucumber on a platter.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Scatter the onion slices over the platter and generously douse everything with lemon juice.
Toss lightly and drizzle with olive oil.
Garnish with the mint ribbons and pistachios. Serve slightly cold.

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NOTES

• I used Charentais melons for this, they are smallish, their skin is smooth of a grayish green with darker green blurry lines running longitudinally at regular intervals
• For the tomatoes, Cherokee Purples are my favorite in this salad, but I have also made it with Cherry, Beefsteak and Green Zebra
• You can switch basil for mint or almonds for pistachios

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​​​Viola Buitoni
as first published on
Viola's Italian Kitchen