Watermelon, can you imagine a summer picnic without it?  I remember as a kid mom giving us big old slices of juicy watermelon and making us eat it outside so we wouldn’t make a mess in the house.  So juicy you’d have to lean forward to eat it so it wouldn’t run down your arms or get all over your clothes.  And then there was the seed spitting mess.  Hurrah for all the delicious seedless varieties now available to in our markets.

I found this recipe a couple of years ago, tweaked it a bit and now it’s my “take everywhere all Summer long” dish. I love a sweet and salty combination. When I was in my 20′s and didn’t care what I ate, I used to pile potato chips on top of a candy bar to get my sweet-salty fix…ah, those were the days.

Let’s address a healthier combination, how about sweet watermelon, salty olives and creamy feta. I think you’ll find it addictive and a real crowd pleaser.  Take a look:

Watermelon and Feta Salad:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp harissa or other hot sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 lbs seedless watermelon, rind removed, fruit sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted Moroccan or other oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

1. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice and harissa and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the watermelon slices on a platter and sprinkle with the onion, parsley, olives and feta. Drizzle the dressing on top and serve.

Servings: 4

Sending this to paradise for Deb’s Souper Sundays!

Watermelon and Feta Salad…

It’s What’s For Summer.