Sweet and savory.
Our friend Helen Richmond in Tuscany tipped us the wink on this unusual combo.
The tang of the lime juice offsets the sweetness of the melon.
The mild bite of the onion complements the saltiness of the feta.
The colors are seductive and the taste suggests…
I shut my eyes as I take a mouthful and I’m on Corfu–and they are grilling the lamb chops for the main course!
Thank you, Helen!
for 8 as a starter
- 1.5 k of watermelon (surprising how much a big slice weighs!)
- 250 gm feta cheese
- a good handful of juicy black olives–stoned and halved
- a small red onion–peeled, halved and finely sliced
- a handful of mint–chopped
- a good handful of parsley— leaves off the stem but kept intact
- 2 tbs lime juice (freshly juiced)
- 6 tbs olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
Release the flesh of the melon by carefully running a sharp knife round the inside of the crescent of rind–take your time!
Lightly steer a teaspoon along the ridge of pips skillfully dislodging them without mushing up the flesh.
Cut the flesh into bite-size squares.
Cut the feta in smaller squares.
Place the melon and the olives in a bowl and add the feta.
Sprinkle over the red onion and the mint.
Mix the lime juice, olive oil and a couple of grinds of black pepper. (A screw-top jar is good for this–add ingredients and shake it all about!)
Pour this over the the salad and carefully turn it all over–hands (washed!) work well!
Add the parsley leaves and refrigerate until you are ready to serve (best served thoroughly chilled).
Robin Ellis 
Robin… is this a coincidence or did you know that today is National Watermelon Day in the United States???
Looks like a fantastic recipe. Thanks.
Total coincidence–thanks for letting me know–how lovely!
My husband says you are in tune with the Universe. So there you are.
Sincere thanks to your husband–not sure my wife would agree!
Looks great! Watermelon salads are wonderful.
BRAVO! I was waiting for this recipe! Tomorrow I am going to buy watermelon at Filippo’ s stall. This is an odd recipe to me and I want to try it! Good alternative to the usual “raw ham and melon”…
Let me know how you get on, Paola…
The salad looks very good! I’m curious to know what’s in the ROBIN bottle?
Rosé, Sue.
Sad to see Poldark over, will you be in season 2 I hope?
Makes me feel squidgy all over !! Cannot wait to try this delight 🙂 Thank you for sharing
Diane & Doug Isle of Wight
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I made this for a potluck picnic last night, and it was a big hit. Essential, I think, that the watermelon is at peak ripeness/sweetness, to provide flavor contrast. I assembled the salad in the morning, made the dressing, and refrigerated both, separately. I dressed the salad near dinner time, about two hours before it was eaten. Mint is usually not my favorite herb, but it adds so much here, while still subtle. This dish is beautiful, unusual, easy, and refreshing. One of your best!
Good to hear it came out well, Elaine–i shall make it again next week.