Do we need another summer salad?

The answer is YES! We very much do need this one.

A note, dear reader. After I took this beauty shot, I tasted the dish and realized it needed way more herbs. Let the herbs do the heavy lifting.

Over the years, I’ve often lamented to Udi, “I’m not a real chef - all I do is make salads!” Which isn’t true. I cook plenty of things that aren’t salad. But also… it kind of is true? For I am of the unique belief that any combination of ingredients is a salad if you just call it one. It’s a good way to live!

And since there are such things as warm salads, cold salads, both warm and cold salads *like this one*, aaaand since sandwiches are basically just salads on bread, aaaaaaaand soups are just hot salads…

These past few weeks though, I’ve been craving zingy salads. Fish-saucy, acidic, herbaceous salads. The kind that have flavors that are bold enough to coax you out of a midday sun haze and wake up your mouthbrain.

When you eat in Vietnam, you’re often served piles—sometimes gigantic piles—of fresh, delicious herbs alongside your dish. They range from things like mint, cilantro, and basil, to diếp cá (also known as fish mint, which tastes pretty much like it sounds—in the most delicious way) and rau răm, or Vietnamese cilantro, which looks and tastes completely different. The way these aromatics enhance the experience of eating a grilled pork chop. Unforgettable salivary MouthBrain stuff happening. This summer salad is nothing without it’s herby accouterment for the same reason.

I’ve talked about using herbs in salads before here, and more recently in a post on how to make better salads from The New Family Table. What becomes very evident when eating copious herbs this way is just how balanced bright flavors of herbs can transform a dish. Plus, this method, which is to use more herbs all the time, helps ensure your herbs will never go bad in the fridge again!

It’s not just that I think you should make this Halloumi Melon Salad with Fish Sauce and Herbs because it’s scrumptious, which it most defiantly is. I think you should make it because playing with temperature and texture in a salad is my summertime kink, and it can be yours too.

*For the best salad outcome go to a farmers’ market, follow your nose to the ripest table, and ask for help picking out a perfect melon. You might learn a thing or two.

RECIPE: