Name: Watermelon Salad with Cotija and Serrano Chiles
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup lime juice (3 limes); 2 scallions , white and green parts separated and sliced thin; 2 serrano chiles , stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced thin crosswise; 1-2 tablespoons sugar (optional); 3/4 teaspoon table salt; 6 cups (1½-inch) seedless watermelon pieces; 3 ounces cotija cheese , crumbled (¾ cup), divided; 5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro , divided; 5 tablespoons chopped roasted, salted pepitas , divided

Why This Recipe Works

Melon salads are ideal hot-weather fare, but they're prone to some common pitfalls: namely, watered-down dressings and garnishes that slide to the bottom of the salad bowl. Because watermelons vary in sweetness, we started by tasting our watermelon to determine how much sugar to incorporate into our dressing. To counter the abundant water contributed by the watermelon, we made an intense dressing with assertive ingredients such as lime juice, scallions, serrano chiles, and fresh cilantro, but we skipped the oil, which would only be repelled by the water on the surface of the watermelon. Instead we added richness with chopped roasted pepitas and cotija cheese, which adhered to the surface of the watermelon pieces and held on to the dressing. To avoid watering down the dressing, we left the watermelon in large chunks, which freed less juice and accentuated the contrast between the well-seasoned exterior and the sweet, juicy interior.

Before You Begin

Taste your melon as you cut it up: If it's very sweet, omit the sugar; if it's less sweet, add the sugar to the dressing. Jalapeños can be substituted for the serranos. If cotija cheese is unavailable, substitute feta cheese. This salad makes a light and refreshing accompaniment to grilled meat or fish.

Instructions

Combine lime juice, scallion whites, and serranos in large bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, if using, and salt. Add watermelon, ½ cup cotija, ¼ cup cilantro, ¼ cup pepitas, and scallion greens and stir to combine. Transfer to shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cotija, remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, and remaining 1 tablespoon pepitas and serve.