(serves 8)

 

This salad is eaten when freshly made. I love it at a barbecue and it is suitable to accompany a myriad of barbecued meats. But I also love to eat it at lunch time as a meal in itself. If purple basil is not available simply add additional green basil.

 

INGREDIENTS

600g (1/4 small) watermelon (skin removed, cut into 2cm dice and deseeded)

370g (3-4 medium) tomatoes (tops and bases trimmed and cut into 16 thick slices)

12-15 green basil leaves (roughly torn)

8-12 purple basil leaves (roughly torn)

60ml (4 tbsp) Gin Dressing

30ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice

1 avocado (halved, stone and skin removed and each half cut into 4 lengthwise and 4 widthwise)

8 Pickled Vine Sweet Peppers

extra basil sprigs to garnish

 

 

METHOD

Into a mixing bowl place watermelon, tomatoes and torn basil leaves.

Drizzle over 3 tablespoons of Gin Dressing.  Using a rubber spatula gently toss to combine.

Gently tip salad onto a serving platter.

Drizzle lemon juice over avocado pieces and scatter avocado over salad.

Drizzle a further 1 tablespoon of Gin Dressing over avocado.

Arrange eight Pickled Vine Sweet Peppers on top of the salad and garnish with basil sprigs.

Serve at room temperature.

 

 

Gin Dressing

(yields 170ml)

 

INGREDIENTS

130ml (1/2 cup + 1 tsp) olive oil

30ml (2 tbsp) gin

5ml (1 tsp) lemon juice

1 tsp juniper berries

1 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp flaky sea salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp finely sliced mint

 

METHOD

Into a small bowl place olive oil, gin and lemon juice and whisk to combine.

Place juniper berries, brown sugar and salt into a mortar and, using the pestle, pound until finely ground.  Add to oil mixture with black pepper and mint and whisk to combine.

Use immediately or refrigerate covered for up to 5 days. If storing re-whisk to serve