Quinoa melon salad with Pancetta and mint
Having spent 16 years working in restaurants I can say with certainty that some of the best moments can happen right before service begins.
Granted, some of the worst moments also happen, but let’s talk about that some other time. What I am referring to now, is the moment when all of your prep is done and your station is clean; you are ready. And bonus points for line mates being ready as well. This small amount of time, right before the chaos of service, is all yours to take a breath. Because in a few minutes you will barely have time to think one of your own thoughts.
Poised for service and about to cook the same 5 dishes non-stop for the next 5-6 hours, I would often use this time to create. Using the ingredients on my station, what can I come up with to feed a bartender? One small meal, often only a couple bites, to fuel a friend. (Like “Chopped” but without all the judgement.) In this world where creativity and skill are essential, we cooks are rarely given the opportunity to be creative. So, I seize this moment, this morsel of a chance to generate innovation.
And to be able to share a simple creation, a delicious moment in time, well, that’s the pinnacle of being a chef!
It was one such moment in which this salad was born. I created this dish about 7 years ago while working at a restaurant in Denver. With the growing popularity of Quinoa, I was searching for a way I could actively enjoy the grain, rather than eating it primarily for the health benefits. The somewhat grassy flavor is a bit off putting me, so I started experimenting with pairings that toned down the grassiness and accentuated the nuttiness. We had a surplus of melons at the time and they were deliciously ripe, how could I resist? I grabbed my beloved “Flavor Bible” and went to work looking for inspiration. Well, my hard work payed off: the chef liked it, the manager loved it and this dish ended up on the specials menu.
The key to this salad is super ripe melons and muskmelons are your best bet.
Because the meatiness and the sugary flavor of the melons really make this salad special, watermelon would not be a great option here. However, if you can find them, Galia melons are deliciously sweet and pair well with the saltiness of the pancetta. Cantaloupe and honeydew also work very well, and if you use a bit of both you will have a very colorful salad.
Some tips for picking your melon: dense, even netting is an indicator of ripeness, a bit heavy for the size of the melon indicates juiciness, an orange tint on the skin indicates sweetness, but most importantly; it must smell ripe! I typically pick the one that is on the verge of going bad, almost sickly sweet with a melon aroma. Just be sure to use it within a couple days!
To make this dish vegan or vegetarian, you can simply omit the pancetta and use olive oil in place of the pancetta fat.
Quinoa Melon Salad with Pancetta and Mint
Ingredients
- 2 c melon, medium diced
- 1/2 c quinoa
- 4 oz pancetta, small diced
- 1/3 c pistachios
- 2 tbsp mint, chiffonade
- 1 tbsp pancetta oil, reserved from cooking
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1tsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F and bring 4 cups of water to boil on the stove.
- Lay out pistachios on a sheet tray and bake just until they are light golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add your quinoa to the boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile cook your pancetta over medium heat until lightly crispy. Strain fat off right away, reserving 1 Tbsp for the dressing.
- Strain quinoa with a Chinoise or a fine mesh sieve, rinse and allow to drain for five minutes. Then transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add melon, pancetta and mint to the quinoa and mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, red wine vinegar and pancetta fat (you can substitute olive oil here if you are looking for a healthier option).
- Dress the salad and salt to taste. Sprinkle pistachios over top just before eating. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and enjoy immediately!
