Toona Tartare

I stopped eating meat a couple of years ago. I haven't lost an once of extra weight but I feel better. And I can look my food in the eye. There are a few foods I do miss though, and it's not cast in concrete that I would never eat them again: A bone-in Kansas City strip at Chicago's Tavern on Rush. A Hickory Cheese burger at the Apple Pan in West L.A.. Tuna tartare almost anywhere.

A few weeks ago I had a salad with watermelon chunks in it while out in Scottsdale. It had an unusual dressing and an idea came to me: Watermelon might make the perfect faux tuna! The color is just as bright and red as the freshest piece of yellow fin. Okay, okay. I know. But look at it from my perspective-- I've gotten to a point where I just really don't like to think about the life forms I'm eating. So I had to do something!

So here it is. I think. (I didn't really write the recipe down as I was doing it so I hope this will be close to what's in the photo):

about 1 cup of watermelon cut up into very small squares, 1/4 inch or less
about 1 cup of cantaloupe cut the same
1 thin slice sweet onion minced
about 1/2 firm avocado cut up in smallish pieces
small amount minced cucumber
small amount minced celery
small amount minced jalapeno
small amount minced green pepper
minced cilantro
coarse ground pepper
toasted sesame seeds (I forgot these)
toss with a few tablespoons of unflavored oil (e.g. canola) with a dash or two of sesame oil mixed in
(I can't remember but a spritz or two of lime juice might be in order. Sorry. That's how I cook.)

If you have a can for stacking your mixture into a tower that might really help the presentation.

The heat of the jalapeno and the smokiness of the sesame oil are really great. I've only made this once and am not so sure the cantaloupe has any rightful claim to the dish but, for now, it stays.

Bon appetite!