WATERMELON SALAD

Name: Watermelon Salad
Ingredients: WATERMELON SALAD STRIKING A DELICATE BALANCE. Developed by James Beard Award-winning Chef Kevin Nashan; this Watermelon Salad uses an Everclear herb base to denature the watermelon and build a bright citrus vinaigrette. Everclear Herb Base Ingredients: 12 oz. Everclear 5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme 2 Bay Leaves Everclear Citrus Vinaigrette Ingredients: 2 oz. Everclear Herb Base 2 oz. Lemon Juice 2 oz. Lime Juice 1 oz. Yellow Mustard 1 oz. Honey 18 oz. Grapeseed Oil (Or Another Neutral Blend Oil) 1 oz. Salt Everclear Roasted Sunflower Seed Ingredients: 2 oz. Everclear 8 oz. Raw Sunflower Seeds 2 oz. Water 2 oz. Chili Powder 2 oz. Powdered Sugar ½ oz. Salt Everclear Pickled Onion Ingredients: 3 oz. Everclear 1 Red Onion 1 c. White Vinegar 1 c. Water ¼ c. Cane Sugar 2 tbsp. Kosher Salt Marinated Watermelon Ingredients: 4 oz. Everclear Herb Base 40 oz. Watermelon Flesh; Cut into 1-2” pieces Salt; to Taste Salad Ingredients: Marinated Watermelon 12 oz. Ahi Tuna 1 c. Fresh Peas; Blanched 6 oz. Cotija Cheese 2 oz. Fresh Dill Everclear Citrus Vinaigrette Everclear Sunflower Seeds Everclear Pickled Onions Salt; to Taste Instructions: Start with making the Everclear Herb Base. In a small sauce pot; add all ingredients and cook on low heat until reduced by half. In a mixing bowl; toss watermelon in 4 oz. of Everclear Herb Base and salt to taste. Place in a bag and seal with food saver to marinate. To make the vinaigrette; whisk mustard; Everclear Herb Base; honey and citrus slowly until incorporated. Next; drizzle the grapeseed oil and slowly whisk. Season with salt and reserve. Prepare your salad ingredients by slicing tuna into 1-inch pieces and blanching peas. Rehydrate the raw sunflower seeds by cooking with 2 oz. of Everclear in a small pot until all liquid is dry. Then roast in the oven at 350 degrees until lightly brown. To pickle the onions; heat vinegar; water; Everclear; sugar and salt to a boil. Then add sliced onions to a mason jar; pour the hot pickling liquid into the jar and let sit for at least 24 hours. Assemble the salad by tossing tuna and peas in the bowl and drizzling with the Everclear Citrus Vinaigrette. Add watermelon; sunflower seeds and pickled onions and toss again. Finish with Cotija cheese and dill. Please Enjoy Responsibly.

STRIKING A DELICATE BALANCE.

Developed by James Beard Award-winning Chef Kevin Nashan, this Watermelon Salad uses an Everclear herb base to denature the watermelon and build a bright citrus vinaigrette.

Everclear Herb Base Ingredients:
12 oz. Everclear
5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Bay Leaves

Everclear Citrus Vinaigrette Ingredients:
2 oz. Everclear Herb Base
2 oz. Lemon Juice
2 oz. Lime Juice
1 oz. Yellow Mustard
1 oz. Honey
18 oz. Grapeseed Oil (Or Another Neutral Blend Oil)
1 oz. Salt

Everclear Roasted Sunflower Seed Ingredients:
2 oz. Everclear
8 oz. Raw Sunflower Seeds
2 oz. Water
2 oz. Chili Powder
2 oz. Powdered Sugar
½ oz. Salt

Everclear Pickled Onion Ingredients:
3 oz. Everclear
1 Red Onion
1 c. White Vinegar
1 c. Water
¼ c. Cane Sugar
2 tbsp. Kosher Salt

Marinated Watermelon Ingredients:
4 oz. Everclear Herb Base
40 oz. Watermelon Flesh, Cut into 1-2” pieces
Salt, to Taste

Salad Ingredients:
Marinated Watermelon
12 oz. Ahi Tuna
1 c. Fresh Peas, Blanched
6 oz. Cotija Cheese
2 oz. Fresh Dill
Everclear Citrus Vinaigrette
Everclear Sunflower Seeds
Everclear Pickled Onions
Salt, to Taste

Instructions:

Start with making the Everclear Herb Base. In a small sauce pot, add all ingredients and cook on low heat until reduced by half.
In a mixing bowl, toss watermelon in 4 oz. of Everclear Herb Base and salt to taste. Place in a bag and seal with food saver to marinate.
To make the vinaigrette, whisk mustard, Everclear Herb Base, honey and citrus slowly until incorporated. Next, drizzle the grapeseed oil and slowly whisk. Season with salt and reserve.
Prepare your salad ingredients by slicing tuna into 1-inch pieces and blanching peas.
Rehydrate the raw sunflower seeds by cooking with 2 oz. of Everclear in a small pot until all liquid is dry. Then roast in the oven at 350 degrees until lightly brown.
To pickle the onions, heat vinegar, water, Everclear, sugar and salt to a boil. Then add sliced onions to a mason jar, pour the hot pickling liquid into the jar and let sit for at least 24 hours.
Assemble the salad by tossing tuna and peas in the bowl and drizzling with the Everclear Citrus Vinaigrette. Add watermelon, sunflower seeds and pickled onions and toss again. Finish with Cotija cheese and dill.

Please Enjoy Responsibly.

Created By: Chef Kevin Nashan

Kevin Nashan won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest in 2017, after being a finalist in the category in 2014 and 2016 and a five-time semifinalist. He has cooked for President Barack Obama, and he won the 2013 Cochon 555 Barbecue competition in St. Louis. When he’s not in the kitchen, he can be found training for triathlons and ironman competitions (he’s completed six!), playing sports, hunting, and being outdoors. He loves enjoying all St. Louis and Tulsa have to offer with his wife, Mina, and their two sons, Max and Miles.