4th of July Recipes, Day 3: Cafe Panache's Grilled Watermelon Salad
I love watermelon. Almost as much as I love sweet potatoes. And, when it comes to the backyard feast this weekend, I'm in charge of bringing the melon.
Although I can eat this sweet, fleshy melon on its own, I also like to put watermelon in salads. I've tried and loved Todd English's fennel, watermelon salad. This year, I'll be making grilled watermelon salad à la Cafe Panache. And, how much more fitting of a recipe do you need for one of the biggest grilling weekends of the year?
Ingredients:
2 large slices seedless watermelon, about 1-1/2 inches thick (cut from the center)
1 medium red onion, cut into very thin strips (julienne)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1-1/2 cups pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 to 16 ounces baby or tender spinach, stemmed, washed and dried
1 to 2 tablespoon finely chopped basil leaves, for garnish
1 to 2 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves, for garnish
Directions:
1. Prepare the grill. If using a gas grill, heat it to medium. If using a charcoal grill, start the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them evenly under the cooking area for direct heat. Oil the grate.
2. Grill the watermelon slices for 2 minutes, then turn over and grill for 2 minutes, until slightly caramelized on both sides. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate for about 10 minutes, until slightly chilled.
3. Meanwhile, combine the onion, feta cheese and olives in a medium mixing bowl.
4. Cut the chilled watermelon into 1 1/2-inch cubes (discarding the rind), then add to the bowl, tossing lightly to combine.
5. Whisk together the oil and vinegar in a small bowl; add the salt and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the ingredients in the bowl, tossing to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours to marinate.
6. To serve, divide the spinach among individual plates. Spoon the watermelon mixture over the spinach, reserving some of the vinaigrette to drizzle on the plate. Sprinkle basil and mint to taste on each salad and serve immediately.
Serves 4. This recipe is courtesy of The Washington Post.
--Sous-Chef on the Run
PS. If you love watermelon too, try out Bon Appétit's Watermelon-Cucumber Margarita, featured by KitchenMaus back in May. Delicious!
Jo King on July 08, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Jo King’s Summer Time Deluxe Pasta Salad Recipe
First get a BIG box of tri-colored rotelli pasta, if you can find one.
Then, cook it. Drain & let it cool down. Then, stir in just a splash of Italian dressing; only enough to keep the pasta from sticking together.
Or not.
Being summer-time, keep a fly-swatter handy & use as needed to protect cooling pasta from disgusting fly-germs.
With the other hand, using a can-opener, remove the lid from a can of black olives.
Resist the impulse to eat half of 'em all right there.
Drain most but not all of the olive juice. Set aside.
Alternate fly-swatter motion between pasta & olives.
With your still free hand, wash a bunch of fresh parsley.
Do not stop to question if you will need a whole bunch. You will.
Briefly drop swatter to grasp the parsley bunch firmly about the stems with both hands and shake wildly in all directions until slightly dizzy.
Remember, unless you reach the threshold of unconsciousness, the parsley leaves will still be retaining water.
Quickly continue the whipping motion of your fly-swatter over the pasta, olives and fresh parsley.
Get a grip on a large, ripe scrumptious avacado. Leveraging it against the kitchen counter with hip, use your free hand to peel off the shell.
Mush it into the pasta. Remove pit. Finger licking allowed if no one is looking.
Continue flapping motion of swatter.
Before adding olives, secure each one between a dull knife, a fore-finger and thumb. Slice into even pieces.
Place parsley bunch, stems first, into mouth and clip off all those pungent, healthy leaves with a scissors into the pasta.
Spit out stems and, with your now free teeth, twist open a bottle of Italian dressing. Add to taste.
Drop fly-swatter and quickly grab salad-tosser tongs.
Swiftly mix salad while alternating the waving of tongs into the air.
Worry about clean-up later.
Rush salad bowl to the fridge using evasive action. A serpentine or circular route will often confuse flies (speed counts).
This is a favorite summertime salad of mine that is a real crowd-pleaser.
Jo King