Watermelon Carpaccio, Blistered Shishito, Mitsuba, Lime

Watermelon Carpaccio

Blistered Shishito Peppers, Mitsuba, Tiny Watermelon Balls
Radish Sprouts, Pistachio, Feta, Lime Vinaigrette, Korean Red Chili Powder, Lime Zest

The namesake of the Venetian Renaissance painter known for his use of brilliant reds and whites, “Carpaccio” was the inspiration for this summer treat. Giuseppe Cipriani, owner of Harry’s Bar invented the dish in 1950, the year of the great Carpaccio exhibition in Venice. It was inspired by the Contessa Amalia Nani Mocenigo, a frequent customer at Harry’s Bar whose doctor had placed her on a diet forbidding cooked meat. The original dish was simply paper-thin sliced raw beef topped with a mustard sauce. In the 63 years since its invention, the culinary term “carpaccio” has come to mean almost any dish composed of thinly-sliced raw food spread out on a platter.

In a challenge to make an elegant watermelon dish, I turn to carpaccio… plus mitsuba, a Japanese herb with a fresh, wild, sweet flavor similar to angelica which adds the herbaceous note. Then smoky grilled shishito balance the cool crisp watermelon. Radish sprouts add a pungent peppery characteristic. Just a little bit of feta adds richness and saltiness, while roasted pistachios add that nutty character. Gochugaru (Korean red chili powder) brings the heat and lime adds the bright citrusy notes. Elegant Watermelon? It’s possible.

Watermelon Carpaccio Recipe

 With very little prep, this dazzling summer salad comes together quickly.

Trim watermelon to fit a mandolin. Slice very thin.

Toss shishito peppers with olive oil.
Grill over high heat using a grill basket, flipping occasionally until the peppers are blistered.
Season with salt.

Lime Vinaigrette

2 T. olive oil
1 T. lime juice
1 T. seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 t. sugar
pinch of salt

Whisk ingredients together, set aside.

Use a melon baller to make tiny watermelon balls.
Trim radish sprouts.
Rough chop roasted & salted pistachios.
Crumble feta.
De-stem mitsuba.

To compose:

Place watermelon carpaccio on a platter. Mound mitsuba in the middle. Arrange radish sprouts around the mitsuba. Use a microplane to grate lime zest over the entire plate. Scatter melon balls, feta, and pistachio. Drizzle lime vinaigrette. Sprinkle with Korean red chili powder (gochugaru).Place blistered shishito peppers over the mitsuba.

Summer Fest is Featuring Watermelon!

Summer Fest is a season long franchise where Food Network editors team up with bloggers to share recipes about everyone’s favorite summertime fruits and vegetables. Be sure to check out the Pinterest Board with over 90,000 followers called Let’s Pull Up A Chair! And if this watermelon carpaccio got you longing for sweet juicy watermelon, you might enjoy taking a peek at other summery dishes from some fabulous bloggers below…

Dishing: Watermelon Agua Fresca
The Sensitive Epicure: Watermelon with Feta, Mint, Olive Oil and Sea Salt 
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Watermelon Popsicles with Mint, Basil and Lime
Red or Green: Spicy Watermelon Salad with Grilled Mahi Mahi
Weelicious: Watermelon Cinnamon Granita
Taste With The Eyes: Watermelon Carpaccio, Blistered Shishito, Mitsuba, Lime
Dishin & Dishes: Summer Mixed Melon Nachos with Mascarpone Cream 
Domesticate Me: Sparkling Watermelon Punch & Bowl 
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Sweet and Salty Greek Watermelon Feta Mint Salad
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Watermelon Vodka Rickey
Devour: Savory Watermelon Recipes
FN Dish: Cool Watermelon Drinks
Made by Michelle: Watermelon Basil Lemonade