The heat of summer for a pale gal like myself is never a reality that I care to face. I experience great discomfort in heat and humidity. Fortunately, there are a few edible antidotes that can begin to temper my woe. One is a perfectly ripe Palisade peach from Colorado’s western slope. I saw them last night at the market and my heart skipped a beat. The other is a perfectly ripe and juicy-sweet watermelon. I tend to not buy them very often because it’s hard for my household of one human and one non-watermelon-eating canine to eat an entire boulder-sized fruit — unless a potluck is on the horizon. But I’m not talking about slicing up the watermelon and putting it on a plate. I’m talking about giving it a quick and easy treatment that will turn heads, please taste buds, and quell the doom of oppressive summer heat. I’m talking about the colorful watermelon, mint, feta salad. Make it as a side, pair it will grilled chicken, pesto, or eat it for dessert.
This version of the recipe comes from Faith Durand at the TheKitchn.com. I appreciate her perspective on timing when you make the salad – “just before serving” – so that “the watermelon is crisp and fresh, and the cheese creamy and bright.” I accessed her recipe below on Thursday, July 20, 2023.
Ingredients
- 6 cups watermelon cubes, from about 1/4 of a large watermelon
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 ounces feta cheese, drained and crumbled
- 1 loosely packed cup fresh mint leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper\
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Once you chop the watermelon (see this hack), pour off any juice that has gathered around the watermelon. Toss gently with the rice vinegar. Toss with the feta cheese crumbles, just until the watermelon begins to look lightly coated.
- Chop the mint leaves very, very finely, into tiny ribbons. Toss with the watermelon and spread in a serving bowl. Garnish generously with black pepper. Taste. If desired, add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.