Watermelon, Cucumber, Feta + Jalapeno Salad
It’s nearly impossible to go through summer without indulging in some sweet, juicy watermelon. As a kid it was the ultimate snack. I remember having those classic seed-spitting contests with my friends to see who could launch one of those tiny suckers furthest across the lawn. The things we did for entertainment, am I right?
Now as an adult this game steers slightly closer to unsanitary and gross, but I would be willing to lay down my slight Mysophobia to be ten years old again – just for one day. To forget any worry and stress. To run carelessly in the backyard with a huge slice of watermelon on a hot summer day. To joyfully laugh as the attempt to spit a seed across the lawn is hopelessly failing and instead running down your chin (yep, I had many of those moments) Summer, fun and watermelon effortlessly went hand in hand.
For me, watermelon also means community. It stirs up memories of our friends, family, or neighbors gathering together for classic summertime cookouts. The sights, the smells, the sounds… those moments are forever treasured and without fail, usually involved watermelon. You cannot have a great cookout without huge slices of juicy watermelon. And don’t give me this seedless watermelon stuff! I want to eat the good old watermelon with the seeds that could potentially grow in my stomach if I swallowed one. How many of you grew up hearing that comment from a parent or grandparent? I know I did and yes, I may have believed it back then. I was a very gullible child. I couldn’t help it.
To resurrect those memories of old, in a round about way, I decided to hunt down the juiciest watermelon I could find and toss it together with some of my favorite ingredients for one addicting salad you can eat all summer long. Not only are the flavors magical, the bright colors are perfectly eye catching. Trust me, bring this Watermelon, Cucumber, Feta + Jalapeno Salad to every cookout you find yourself at this summer and you will be the hit of the neighborhood. Here’s to a great summer!
- 1 lb seedless watermelon, peeled and cut into 1” cubes
- 2 Kirby cucumbers, peeled and sliced into ⅓” thick rounds
- 2 jalapenos, thinly sliced and seeds removed
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onions
- 1 cup lightly packed watercress leaves
- 18 pitted kalamata olives
- 4 oz. feta, crumbled
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp Nanami Togarashi (Shichimi), Japanese Chili Pepper
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp. chopped basil
- 2 tbsp. chopped dill
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
- Peeler
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- In a large bowl, gently toss together salad ingredients. In a smaller bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until fully combined. Season both salad and dressing with salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a serving bowl, carefully place salad ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with chopped basil and dill
