Watermelon + Feta Salad w/ Marinated Olives & Preserved Lemons

Time to lighten up with this delicious blend of summer and winter flavors from Yotam Ottolenghi's new cookbook, NOPI.

If you haven't tried a watermelon salad before, you have a real treat in store. Prepare the marinades the night before, and your salad will be ready in the time it takes to cut the watermelon and combine the ingredients. My taste tester cleaned the plate; I'm pretty sure you will, too!

*MPM Rating: 5 Persimmons

Ingredients:

Preserved Lemons: Prepare three days in advance (minimum) as shown here, or purchase pre-made (note: best is to prepare 1 month in advance)

1/4 cup preserved lemons, chopped into bite sized pieces; julienned slices for topping

Marinated Olives: Prepare a day ahead, or at least 2 hours before plating

3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 small garlic clove, skin on, smashed
3 thyme sprigs
2 rosemary sprigs
25 black Kalamata olives, cut into fourths

Marinated Onions: Prepare a day head, or at least 2 hours before plating

2 shallots, cut horizontally in very thin slices
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Coarse sea salt and pepper

Watermelon:

1 small watermelon (3 1/2 pounds) chopped in fourths. Remove rind and cut watermelon into 3/8" wide slices

To plate salad:

3 1/2 ounces French Feta
Mint leaves

Directions:

Marinated Olives:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil, pepper flakes, garlic, and herbs over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring gently.

2. When cool, pour mixture over olives and marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Marinated Onions:

1. Mix the shallots, sherry vinegar and olive oil in a small container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

To Plate Salad:

1. Trim the watermelon slices into triangular shapes and put on serving plate(s). Sprinkle the feta on top.

2. Discard the garlic and herbs stems from the marinated olives and spoon the mixture over the watermelon and feta. Add a few marinated onions on top of each serving.

3. Add the mint leaves on top. Serve.

Makes 4 salads.

#salad #watermelon #feta #preservedlemons #glutenfree #healthyeats

*MPM Rating between 1-5 Persimmons

I try out these recipes so you don't have to (and modify them for Paleo where possible). The rating will reflect my opinion of the final result in terms of taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, and sometimes, cost.