How To Make The Sandia Burrata Summer Salad From Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort

There's a very good reason why the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort was the perfect venue for an event such as last year's Taste of Rio Mar: The Ultimate Food & Wine Experience. In spite of setbacks Puerto Rico has faced in the last few years, the island continues to emerge as a unique culinary destination, with homegrown chefs showcasing their talents and cuisine much to the benefit of, well, everyone.

Executive Chef Ramón Carillo is such an extraordinary talent, with his work on display throughout Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort's restaurants, including Roots Coastal Kitchen, where he and Top Chef finalists Janine Booth and Jeff McInnis have put a stylish twist on Caribbean fare. But for this meal, we're visiting the elegant Palio Seafood and Steakhouse, where you might have a difficult time choosing between the whole Caribbean lobster and dry aged New York strip. Just kidding! You'll get both.

And you'll begin with the Sandia Burrata Summer Salad, which might be the first salad you'll ever call beautiful. That's definitely the case for me. Regardless, with this recipe in hand, you can now make an amazing lunch for one, or an impressive appetizer for your next dinner gathering.

Ingredients:

• 3 compressed cubes of local watermelon 
• 3 thick slices of local avocado (quarter-inch thick)
• 3 oz of burrata cheese
• 3 wedges of heirloom tomatoes
• 5 Kalamata olives
• 1 small bunch of micro basil
• 2 tbsp of lemon mosto olive oil 
• Hawaiian black lava salt
• Crusted pink peppercorn

How to Make It:

• Cut the watermelon, avocado, burrata, heirloom tomatoes and olives and place side-by-side on a flat plate. 
• Add a layer of lemon mosto olive oil and top with lava salt, peppercorns and micro basil. 
• For an extra dash of flavor, add one of the following proteins: Pan-seared ahi tuna, local catch, or grilled sweetwater shrimp.