Fruits & Vegetables , Sides & Appetizers

Compressed Watermelonwith Aged Balsamic Vinaigrette, Feta Crumble, Fresh Radish, and Sous Vide Farro

Beginner

Compression makes the entire watermelon taste like the ultra-flavorful center. Celebrate the summer with this sophisticated and fresh salad.

Ingredients

½ seedless watermelon, rind removed
5 radishes
16 heirloom cherry tomatoes
½ C feta
16 sprig of micro greens (if available)
1 oz Hawaiian black salt

½C farro
1½C vegetable stock
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp aged balsamic
4 Tbsp simple syrup
7 Tbsp (scant ¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepping time: 30 minutes / Cooking time: 15-17 minutes (excludes sous vide cooking)

4 servings

Cut the watermelon to a rectangle measuring 3 inches by 1¼ inches. Add the liquid and place in a sous vide pouch. Pull the vacuum and let it sit in refrigerator for 2 hours.
Bring saucepan of salted water to boil and blanch the farro for 15-17 minutes. Rinse and chill. Place blanched and chilled farro, vegetable stock, thyme, garlic, and olive oil in a sous vide bag. Pull the vacuum and cook it in water bath at 163.4°F (73°C) for one hour. Transfer pouch to refrigerator to chill.
Clean and slice the fresh radishes very thinly, and keep them chilled in ice water. Cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters.
Whisk together the balsamic, simple syrup, and olive oil and add salt and pepper.
When the farro is cooked and chilled, set the compressed watermelon on the plate. Sprinkle the farro, feta crumble, and cherry tomatoes onto the plate. Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over the top and sprinkle some of the black salt on the watermelon. Top with fresh micro herbs.