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Epicurious

Melon Salad With Arugula, Fennel, and Marjoram

Image may contain Dish Food Meal Platter Plant and Lunch
Photo by John Valls

The combination of melon, marjoram, and sweet moscato vinegar in this delicate salad tastes like summer to me. When I serve guests this dish, I like to watch them take their first bite and enjoy a moment of pure bliss as the melon juices run down their chin.

Cooks' Note

I use heirloom Canary, Charentais, and watermelons from the farmers' market in this dish, but you could substitute more common melon varieties like cantaloupe and honeydew. Using a combination of different colored melons brings a pleasing aesthetic to the dish. You can also swap mint or torn basil leaves for the marjoram or use a few fistfuls of mizuna instead of arugula to switch up the salad throughout melon season. Look for moscato vinegar at a specialty grocery or gourmet food shop. Its sweet, fruity flavor makes it worth the hunt, though you can substitute apple cider vinegar if needed. —AS

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 medium Canary melon, rind removed and flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 medium Charentais melon, rind removed and flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/4 small heirloom watermelon, rind removed and flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons moscato vinegar
2 loosely packed cups baby arugula
2 tablespoons fresh marjoram, large leaves torn

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    1. In a large bowl, combine the Canary and Charentais melons and watermelon. Sprinkle with the salt and toss to combine.

    Step 2

    2. Add the fennel to the bowl. Drizzle the oil and vinegar over the melons and fennel and gently mix with your hands. Let the melon and fennel marinate in the dressing at room temperature for 10 minutes.

    Step 3

    3. Add the arugula and marjoram to the bowl and toss until just combined. Season with salt. Transfer the salad to a large rimmed serving platter or shallow salad bowl. Pour any juice from the bowl over the top of the salad and dig in.

Reprinted from Heartlandia by Adam and Jackie Sappington. Copyright © 2015 by Adam Sappington and Jackie Sappington. Photography © 2015 by John Valls. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TagsSaladMelonFruitFennelRoot VegetableVegetableArugulaLeafy GreensSideDinnerDairy FreeNut FreeGluten FreeVegetarianVeganRawQuickNo-CookSummerCookbooks

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