Summer Watermelon Salad; Baby Lettuces, Shaved Fennel, Spicy Almonds, Champagne Vinaigrette

Spicy Almonds Ingredients:

            ¼         cup                  Slivered Almonds

            1          tsp                   Olive oil

            ¼         tsp                   cayenne pepper

Champagne Vinaigrette Ingredients:

1          cup                  Champagne vinegar

½         cup                  Champagne or sparkling wine (try an inexpensive but good quality Cava)

½         tsp                   shallots, finely minced

2          tsp                   Dijon mustard

1          tblspn              Tarragon, finely chopped

1          tblspn              Chives, finely chopped

2          cups                Canola Oil

                                    sea salt

                                    freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients:

1          each                Yellow Hermiston Seedless Watermelon (available at Harry & David)

1          each                Red Hermiston Seedless Watermelon (available at Harry & David)

1          bulb                 Fennel, shaved very thinly on a mandoline or slicer, washed & spun dry

1          lb                     Baby Lettuces or "Spring" Mix from your favorite grocer, washed & spun dry

PREPARATION:

Start buy tossing the slivered almonds in a sauté pan over medium heat until they start to turn lightly golden. Add the olive oil and toss or stir to coat the almonds, then immediately toss in the cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt and toss to distribute the seasoning and coat the almonds. Allow them to cool on a cookie sheet before storing them in an air-tight container.

To make the dressing, place the all the vinaigrette ingredients, except the canola oil, salt and pepper, in the blender or food processor and blend. Slowly pour the oil in a thin stream into the blender or food processor while its running to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste and blend again to incorporate.

To prepare the watermelon, cut a couple of ¼ inch slices of each watermelon through the widest section, or middle. Using a round cookie cutter or the rim of glass, cut an equal number of rounds (about 3 inch diameters are best) of each color watermelon and set aside. Take the leftover bits of the watermelon slices and cut them into a small dice and set aside.

            To assemble the salad, toss the greens and fennel in some of the dressing. Take 4 salad plates and place a slice of red watermelon in the middle of two plates, a slice of yellow on the other two plates, add a layer of dressed greens & fennel over each watermelon slice, alternate the colors of watermelon on each plate, add another layer of dressed greens & fennel, and a final slice of watermelon, matching with the color at the bottom of the stack. Sprinkle some cubes of yellow and red watermelon around each salad. Finally, sprinkle some spicy almonds over each of the salads.

Serves four as a first course.