1 Attractive serving dish (circular glass plate works well)
Ingredients
1sliceWatermelonCubed or balled
1packageFeta CheeseCrumbled or cut into small cubes
1/4wholeCucumberSliced or cubed
1/5wholeRed OnionThinly sliced
4leavesFresh Mint or BasilChopped
2cupsArugulaUsed as a base, can be optional but I would include it!
1/4cupOlive OilFor drizzling
1/4cupBalsamic Glaze or VinegarFor drizzling
6smallCherry TomatoesHalved or quartered
Salt and Pepperoptional, to taste
1/2smallLimeFor extra zing!
Instructions
Arrange the watermelon cubes on a serving platter.
Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the watermelon.
Add the cucumber and red onion slices.
Scatter the fresh mint (and basil, if using) over the top.
Drizzle with olive oil (and balsamic glaze if desired).
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately, either as is or over a bed of arugula or mixed greens.
Notes
In my ongoing quest to grant my amazing spouse the desires of her heart, I made this "Watermelon and Feta Arugula Salad" recipe for the first time tonight. We had a similar recipe at The Cellar at Duckworths in Uptown Charlotte about a month ago for our wedding anniversary.I actually got the recipe from ChatGPT, after I offered it the following prompt:
My wife loved a watermelon and cheese fancy salad at an expensive restaurant recently, what could that salad have been and what would you say? The ingredients are?
I used a special Organic "Balsamic Vinegar with Chili Pepper" from Olive Crate, which I found last year at our local Union County Farmer's Market. The sellers have a direct connection with the Olive Crate creators from Greece, which is very cool and unusual. The flavor of this Balsamic Vinegar is good, but I think it will be good to experiment with different kinds of Balsamic flavors. My Oklahoma City friend, Shannon Force, is in love with Costco's "Nonna Pia's Balsamic Glaze," and I think that would be good to try on this salad.Another modification I will consider next time is NOT adding the cherry tomatoes. They were good, but the watermelon is the main "sweet and juicy" element of this salad, and I think the tomatoes may have detracted from those flavors a bit. I would also consider using fresh mint instead of fresh basil. The basil was good, but again, it would be good to experiment with different flavors.My mother was a big fan of cooking with different flavors and types of olive oil. It would also be great to experiment with changing up the olive oil flavors too.This is a tasty recipe and one that Shelly loves. We will be having it again!