Peak Summer: Watermelon Steak Salad

Watermelon Steak Salad by Chef Steve Paul of Acorn

Watermelon has always been that one fruit that can spark up nostalgia for me: it's a remembrance of summer evenings or afternoon family picnics. On any given summer night, my mother and father would have a watermelon wedge waiting for me; it was just something that was always there. It's also one of those ingredients that tends to go well with a variety of flavors. Be it spicy, salty, tart, acidic, or bitter - they all seem to work. This time of year is great for many other fruits and vegetables – tomatoes, radish, bitter greens, and other melon varieties – which, luckily, all complement watermelon very well. This dish will show that although watermelon is great on its own, there are many flavor profiles that pair great with it, too.

- Executive Chef Steve Paul, Acorn, acornpgh.com

Watermelon Steak Salad

1/4 seedless watermelon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp lemon zest

Cut off the rind and cut into steaks ¾-inch thick, 4 inches long, and 2 1/2 inches wide, 3 to 4 steaks depending on the size of the melon. Mix the salt and sugar together and sprinkle on the steaks. Top the steaks with the lemon zest and seal in a Ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible, and set in the refrigerator with a weight on top of it. A dinner plate or two would be fine.

Mint Labneh

1 cup Greek yogurt

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp mint, chopped

3 tbsp parsley, chopped

Using a strainer and cheesecloth, strain some of the liquid out of the yogurt for an hour or longer if you can. Once strained, add all ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth.

Citronette

2 lemons, zest and juice

1 lime, zest and juice

1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp salt

1 cup olive oil

Add all ingredients except the oil in a blender and blend until smooth. With the blender running, start adding the oil slowly with a thin stream until all incorporated.

Pickled Coix Seed

1/4 cup coix seed

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

1 pinch of turmeric

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

Add all ingredients in a pot and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes until fully cooked through. Strain and cool in ice water.

Jicama Relish

1/2 cup jicama, peeled, small dice

1/2 cup cantaloupe, peeled and deseeded, small dice

1/4 cup pickled coix seed

2 tbsp chopped chives

1/4 citronette

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl, place in the refrigerator and allow to sit and marinate for an hour.

Bread-and-Butter-Cucumber

1/2 seedless cucumber, small dice

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

3/4 tsp celery salt

Put the cucumber in a jar and bring the remaining ingredients to a boil and allow to cool before pouring over the cucumber. Allow to sit for a few hours before using - the longer the better.

To assemble:

1 tbsp black sesame seed

1 tbsp toasted white sesame seed

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

1/4 watermelon radish, thinly shaved, stored in ice water

1/2 fennel bulb, thinly shaved

1 head blonde frisee, picked

1/2 jalapeño, thinly shaved

6 cherry heirloom tomatoes, halved

1 grapefruit, supremed

2 mint leaves

Olive oil, to garnish

Take out watermelon steaks and allow to dry on paper towels to remove any liquid. Put a spoonful of mint labneh in the middle of the plate and form a circle, then place the watermelon in the middle of the labneh and top with the sesame seeds. Cover the top of the steak with a thin layer of the jicama relish, and top with some crumbled feta and three watermelon radishes.

Mix a salad with shaved fennel, frisee, and dress with citronette, and build over the steak. Garnish with shaved jalapeño, bread-and-butter cucumber, tomato, grapefruit, and torn mint leaf. Drizzle olive oil over the entire dish and serve.

STORY BY MAGGIE WEAVER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE BRYCE/ FOOD STYLING BY VEDA SANKARAN / PROP STYLING BY KEITH RECKER / RECIPE BY CHEF STEVE PAUL, ACORN / WALLPAPER: GUERMANTES BY MANUEL CANOVAS, COURTESY OF COWTAN & TOUT

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