Tomato and Cantaloupe Salad

This salad is great by itself, or topped with goat/feta cheese.

Recipe courtesy of Graze the Prairie

Ingredients:

SALAD:

• About 2 lb. of tomatoes (different shapes and colors)

• 1 small cantaloupe (cubed or scooped with melon baller)

• 1 cucumber (peeled & chopped)

• ½ red onion (thinly sliced)

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

DRESSING:

• ½ to 1 tsp honey or maple syrup (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 3 TB good quality extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 TB cup white balsamic or apple cider vinegar

• Fresh lime juice

Directions:

1. Depending on the size of your tomatoes, slice some in half, some into quarters and others into uneven chunks. This will give you the beginnings of a salad that's exciting to look at and eat.

2. Put the tomatoes into a colander, and season with a good pinch of sea salt. Give them a toss, season again and give a couple more tosses. The salt won't be drawn into the tomatoes; instead it will draw any excess moisture out, concentrating all the flavors.

3. Leave the tomatoes in the colander on top of a bowl to stand for around 15 minutes, and then discard any juice that has come out of them.

4. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl, or add the ingredients to a mason jar and shake to combine.

5. Combine basil, cantaloupe, tomatoes and cucumber in a large bowl. Add dressing; toss well.

NOTES:

This salad is great topped with goat/feta cheese.

Or, leave the cantaloupe out, substitute 1 tsp oregano for the basil, and add one garlic clove (1 tsp of chopped garlic) and a finely chopped fresh jalapeño.