A Recipe & Random Things 001
Watermelon, Tomato, Chili, Herbs & Nori
Serves 4
We all know that the end of summer is a really hard thing to swallow. I hope this recipe can make it go down a bit easier. Watermelon is delicious and pairs well with tomatoes. Adding a bright punch of chili and lime makes it a refreshing savory dish.
3 cups watermelon, cubed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, split
1 large heirloom tomato, color of your choice- chose what’s ripe over color
¼ cup Thai basil leaves
¼ cup cilantro
¼ cup shiso leaves
2 large sheets of toasted nori
¼ cup Lime juice, about 2 limes
1 each Thai chili
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper
Jacobsen flake salt
Remove the rind from the watermelon, then cut it into 2” cubes and place into a large bowl, being careful not to break up the watermelon pieces. Split the cherry tomatoes in half and add to the bowl with the watermelon. Remove the core from the large heirloom tomato and slice into 1” thick round slices and add to the bowl.
Cut the Thai chili into a fine mince and place in a small mixing bowl, then add the lime juice, salt and fresh ground black pepper. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil but do not expect it to emulsify, you will mix it up before dressing the salad.
Season the watermelon and tomatoes with flake salt & fresh ground black pepper, then dress with the vinaigrette. Gently toss the fruits in the bowl with the dressing.
Spread the dressed watermelon and tomatoes evenly on a large serving platter, then top with the herbs and crumble the nori pieces over the top of the salad. Serve immediately.
My Podcast is Back: Losing your Mind with Chris Cosentino
Art by @mrjeremyfish
I am inspired by so many people who are doing amazing things out there in our crazy world. That’s why I am excited to be back at it with an incredible list of guests; chefs, cyclists, and more. I’m learning from their experiences and life lessons and maybe you will to. At the very least there are some good laughs, especially since it’s a video format now. The first episode will drop August 31st.
Random Things
A lot of you have been asking what I’m doing and what’s next. To be honest I’m not exactly sure what the future holds. As usual, I’m doing a lot of random things I enjoy; cooking, riding bikes, doing events, and showing up on your TV.
RESTAURANTS Acacia House in St Helena is open! Rosalie in Houston is reopening in September.
EVENTS I’m cooking a VIP wine dinner for the One Mind Music Festival for Brain Health at Staglin Vineyards on 9/11. I’m doing an event at Alila Ventana in Big Sur the weekend of 9/24. In October I’m cooking for the Gals Only CampoVelo weekend event in Napa, sign up if you like to ride bikes remember this one is women only!!
TV Catch me on Guys Grocery Games: All-Star Egg-Stravaganza.
CYCLING One small upside of this crazy time is I have been able to ride my bike a ton, which has helped give me balance. I even competed in a 5-day gravel stage race in Oregon, pictured below. It hit 112 degrees that day!
Giving Back
1 in 6 kids is at risk of hunger in the US, but Chefs Cycle No Kid Hungry is working to change that. A healthy meal is a right not a privilege. A $50 donation can provide up to 500 meals.
Follow me on Instagram @chefchriscosentino.
