YIELD: 4 to 6 servings | PREP TIME: 15 minutes | CHILLING TIME: 2 hours
• ¼ cup minced Vidalia onions
• ¼ cup boiling water
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 (3-pound) seedless watermelon
• 1 English cucumber (about ¾ pound), peeled
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and quartered
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish if desired
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup shelled roasted and salted pistachios, minced
1. In a small non-reactive bowl, combine the onions, boiling water, and vinegar. Set aside while you prep the remaining ingredients.
2. Roughly chop three-quarters of the watermelon, cucumber, and jalapeño pepper. Mince the remaining one-quarter of each. Mince half of the basil leaves, leaving the rest whole.
3. Place the chopped watermelon, chopped cucumber, chopped jalapeño pepper, whole basil leaves, lime juice, salt, and cayenne pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth, slowly drizzling in the olive oil while the motor runs.
4. In a non-reactive bowl, mix the blended ingredients with the minced watermelon, cucumber, jalapeño pepper, and minced basil. Stir in the onion mixture from Step 1. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until very cold.
5. Serve sprinkled with the minced pistachios and additional basil.
AIP Modification: Omit the jalapeño pepper, cayenne pepper, and pistachios.
Nut-Free Modification: Omit the pistachios.
