sunshine on a plate – passioneats

Ahhh…summer. Hot, sultry, sunny days–bring ’em on. It has been lousy around here these many months and we have suffered through. But as soon as Memorial Day weekend hit in the northeast, it was as if the weather gods smiled down and said, “ok, time for summer!” The sun came out, the skies turned blue, and the heat cranked up–thankfully, just enough.

Let’s officially kick-off the unofficial start of summer with a deliciously refreshing salad. It’s bright and bursting with flavor and will push all your flavor buttons: bitter, salty, sour, and sweet. The melon is sweet and juicy, mixed with salty, creamy feta, peppery arugula and a touch of mint. Sherry vinaigrette adds acid for contrast and a touch of sweetness. Easy to make, pretty on a plate…each bite will make you smile.

Watermelon Feta Salad

Buy fresh bunches of arugula (with the roots on), chop off leaves, and soak in a water bath to remove grit. Drain arugula and spin dry well.

Watermelon should be dark pink and firm, not mushy. I prefer to use the seedless variety, for obvious reasons. Dice the melon into bite sized cubes. As I’ve often mentioned before, I prefer to use a French feta cheese, called Valbresso, for most recipes–it’s less salty and creamier than other fetas. This cheese should be cubed to about the same size as the watermelon.

Make Sherry Vinaigrette: finely mince a shallot and add sherry vinegar–let the shallot soak in the vinegar for a few minutes to soften. Add honey–I like to use orange blossom honey for its fruity quality, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, and slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

On a large platter, make a bed of the spun dry arugula leaves. Lay the watermelon and feta cubes on top and sprinkle freshly torn mint leaves over all. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve. Welcome to summer!

Serves 4 to 6:

2 bunches fresh arugula

2 cups watermelon, diced

6 ounces feta, preferably French, diced

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Sherry Vinaigrette:

1 small shallot, finely minced

2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

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