Melon & Cucumber Salad

We regularly make some variation of this salad for ourselves and our guests. We like to add shallots or very thinly sliced red onion if we have any. If your peaches make it all the way home without being eaten, you could cut them up and throw them in too! This recipe calls for cilantro and mint. We usually use tarragon and mint, and sometimes parsley too.  Note that this recipe will work with watermelon OR regular melon.  The watermelons just require a little more work removing seeds.

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom and/or 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 of a large melon or a whole small melon, rind and flesh removed, and flesh cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large cucumber or 2 smaller cucumbers, sliced on a diagonal 1/2 thick
2 sweet peppers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or tarragon
1/4 cup chopped mint

Whisk the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and cardamom or coriander in a large bowl. Add melon, cucumber, sweet peppers and other fruit.  Toss and let sit for 15 minutes. Add the herbs to the salad and toss gently. We sometimes top with some spicy chile powder or chile flakes.