I rarely buy watermelon. It is a real summer treat for us. When we were little, we would bring a whole watermelon to the beach, carrying it down the sandy meandering paths to the strand like a lead filled football. It would inevitably be coated in a gritty salty dusting of sand by the time it was sliced and handed out. Ever since, I’ve loved a little salt with my watermelon. The Mexican spicy, sour and salty seasoning blend Tajin is really good sprinkled over watermelon cubes. It’s such a great combination and so refreshing on hot summer days.
Thanks to the size of a watermelon, there is usually more than enough for a few sittings. Once you’ve enjoyed some for breakfast, keep the other half for this delicious salad. It is the most refreshing combination, with cold watermelon and cucumber and creamy, salty feta.
Leftover roast or barbecued chicken is ideal for this dish. Whenever I use the barbecue, I usually cook extra on it. So I add a few chicken breasts for a Caesar salad the next day or some aubergines to make some delicious baba ganoush. Whole peppers are fantastic on the barbecue. Simply pop them into a lidded tub once blackened and blistered. Leave the lid on and the skins will steam off. It’s about trying to make the most of that heat while the barbecue is on.
It’s also very much about trying to minimise the effort used to cook dinner on long summer days. Having a little meal prep done before we come in the door after a day out makes it so much easier. Having salad leaves washed and dried is always a great start as they can be shaken into a serving bowl and any combination of delicious ingredients can be added.
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Make a vegetarian version of this salad by using high protein chickpeas instead of chicken, or omit the feta and use fried slices of halloumi cheese. Either way it’s the epitome of summer with that cooling combination of ingredients that are sweet, salty and so delicious.
Recipe: Watermelon and feta salad with chicken
Lilly’s kitchen tips
- When using half a block of feta I usually cube the remaining half and place in a jar with a little olive oil and a few herb sprigs. It keeps much better this way and is delicious marinated with herbs.
- If the watermelon is organic then you can eat the rind too. Make a watermelon rind bhaji by cubing the rind and sautéing with spices till golden brown. Pickle or candy it or just pass it through your juicer to extract even more juice.
- Look for a very firm, dark and dull coloured watermelon. If it’s shiny or the rind is anyway soft to the touch it’s overripe.
