Sometimes the simplest of recipes are the best. This salad is so refreshing. Perfect for a Summers day, shared with friends, in the sunshine, washed down with a chilled bottle of wine. Although we have never had a salad with watermelon as an ingredient, we both thought this reminded us of holidays in the Mediterranean, especially the great times we had in Greece over the years. It does contain olives which I know are not to everyone’s taste but they are definitely an integral part of this salad as their saltiness perfectly offsets the sweetness of the melon, creaminess of the Feta and crunchiness of the cucumber. Altogether a delightful salad and one I am sure we will be having over and over again.
When a recipe is as simple as this it is absolutely imperative that you choose the freshest and best ingredients possible. The salad has to be served chilled so put all the ingredients in the fridge for at least 24 hours so you can serve it immediately when assembled. Feta can vary in flavour and texture from the cheap variety to the sublime. In Greece it is cut off a block which is kept in a bath of brine and this is definitely the way to buy Feta wherever you are. It is sold in tubs, soaked in brine, usually oak aged, in most supermarkets and it is definitely worth the few extra pence. Terry’s Mum, who came from Crete, always told us never to buy melon that had been cut up as it was poisonous. I think this was possibly an exaggeration but I have always bought my melons whole just in case. The olives, in my mind, have to be Kalamata, possibly the best olives in the world and please use good extra virgin olive oil for the dressing. You will reap the rewards.
Well, here is the recipe.
Feta and watermelon salad Serves 2
- 1/2 cucumber, cut into quarters lengthways, deseeded and sliced
- 1/2 small watermelon, deseeded, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 150g tub of Feta cheese
- Handful go Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- Small handful of chopped mint
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (about 1 tbsp)
- About 1 tbsp of lemon juice (from a fresh lemon)
- Put the cucumber and watermelon in a salad bowl. Scatter with the olives and mint. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice then carefully mix. Crumble the feta on top.
- Serve immediately, chilled.
Tasty Advice 