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Kombucha compressed watermelon
Impress your guests with this summery, modernist dish! Fresh, juicy watermelon is compressed and infused with funky, effervescent kombucha and rounded out with peppery watercress, tingly Sichuan pepper and toasty sesame seeds.
SERVES
6
TO
8
Ingredients
Compressed Watermelon
- 1/2 watermelon
- 4 cups (950ml) cranberry kombucha, plus more as needed
Sichuan-Pistachio Crust
- 1/4 cup (30ml) toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) flakey sea salt
- 2 limes, zest only
- 1/2 cup (80ml) pistachios, crusted
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Sichuan peppercorns, ground in spice griinger
Dressed Watercress
- 1 bunch watercress
- 1 lime, juice
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
- Salt, to taste
Directions
Compressed Watermelon
- Add each piece of watermelon to its own medium vacuum sealer bag. Seal the bags on high, removing all the air and gently compressing the melon.
- Let the bags sit undisturbed for two minutes.
- Remove the melon from the bags, placing them in a medium-sized bowl.
- Pour the kombucha over the melon, adding more to cover if needed. Marinate for one to four hours at room temperature, flipping every 30 minutes.
Sichuan-Pistachio Crust
- Add sesame seeds, sea salt, lime zest, pistachio, and Sichuan peppercorn to a plate. Combine evenly and set aside.
Dressed Watercress
- Place the watercress in a medium-sized bowl, dress with lime juice and olive oil. Season with salt and toss gently to combine.
Assemble
- Slice watermelon into long rectangles, roughly four by one and a half x one and a half inches (10 x 3.75 x 3.75 cm).
- Dip one face of the rectangles into the Sichuan-pistachio crust.
- Plate the melons, crust side up, alongside dressed watercress on chilled serving plates.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
