Monday Night Fish: Salmon with Watermelon Heirloom Tomato Salad

After a bit of overindulging in the food department in Vegas this past weekend, I knew my body needed to return to eating light. Last night's Monday Night Fish was inspired by the beautiful heirloom tomatoes that my mother-in-law gave Big N and I from her garden.

I sliced the yellow heirlooms and stacked the slices vertically with sliced watermelon, held together by a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese in between each layer. I drizzled a little balsalmic vinegar and olive oil, sprinkled celtic sea salt for flavor, and garnished with fresh basil for fragrance. The mild ricotta went well with the sweetness of the heirlooms and watermelon, and the salt provided flavor and texture to this colorful summer salad.

For the salmon I kept it light and simple, seasoning it with salt, pepper, a bit of olive oil, searing on both sides, and finishing it up in a 400 degree oven.

I placed the salmon on a bed of sauteed sugar peas, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little sugar to carmelize.

In under 20 minutes we had dinner on the table, complete with a crisp Cottonwood Canyon Chardonnay. A perfect summer meal.