Summer has finally arrived on the West Coast! The sun is shining, the sky is clear, and I have been spending my afternoons and evening reading at the beach. There is absolutely nothing like summer to make a boring workday into a mini-vacation!

I don’t know about you, but in the summer all I want to eat is fruit. This season is often the best time to get your favourite produce at its peak. Whether you’re biting into a fresh Gala apple or popping a handful of juicy green grapes in your mouth, fruit makes the perfect easy and refreshing summer snack.

If you’re looking for an interesting way to serve fruit this summer you have to check out the Watermelon and Watercress Salad (just reading that made my mouth “water”—groan) from Tony de Luca’s Simply in Season.

You can use cubes of melon or stamp out shapes from slices of melon with a fluted cookie cutter. While using both red and yellow watermelons adds a “wow” factor to this dish, choosing only the ripest fruit is more important, as this will dictate whether the salad is remarkable or leaves diners wondering, “What was Tony thinking?”

Serves 6

1/3 cup (80 mL) olive oil

1/3 cup (80 mL) aged sherry vinegar

2 Tbsp (30 mL) honey

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 red onions, cut crosswise into thin rings

2 bunches watercress, washed, dried, and stems removed

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

8 cups (2 L) cubed watermelon (1-inch/2.5 cm cubes)

additional olive oil for garnish

fleur de sel for garnish

2 Tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped basil (optional)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, and shallot. Add the red onions and watercress, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss well.

To serve, arrange the watermelon and salad on 6 dinner plates. Drizzle each plate with olive oil and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Garnish with chopped basil if desired.