Compressed Watermelon and Feta Salad

Ingredients

Yield:

4 Servings

• Salad Ingredients

  • 1/2 Seedless Watermelon
  • 1/2 Cup Colourful Heirloom Tomatoes
  • 1/2 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
  • 1 Cup Arugula Salad Leaves
  • 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Dressing Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Mint
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 Avocado (Peeled and Diced)
  • Sea Salt and Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation

Difficulty:

Easy

Time:

2 HoursWatermelon Preparation

Total Time:

10 MinutesDressing Preparation

1. Compress the Watermelon

   1. Peel and cut the watermelon in half, horizontally. Trim of the round edges to get a square or a rectangle shape. Depending on your serving plate, cut the watermelon to match it - could be square, rectangular, or cubes.
   2. Make sure that the slices are ½ inch thick.
   3. Place the watermelon in a large, heavy-duty zip-lock bag ensuring that they are flat and close to each other.
   4. Remove as much air possible form the bag as you seal it.
   5. Lay the bags flat on a baking sheet or tray that will fit into your freezer. Place something flat on top, followed by something heavy to weigh it down (could be cans, frozen meats etc).
   6. Leave in the freezer for 2-3 hours.

2. Salad Preparation

   1. Mix together all ingredients for the dressing, adding the mint in the end.
   2. Quarter the tomatoes; toss with the olive oil and arugula.
   3. To assemble the salad, use the bottom of a spoon to spread 1 tbsp of the dressing on the plate.
   4. Place the compressed watermelon on top and use 1/4th of the tomatoes per serving.
   5. Top with feta and drizzle some olive oil. Enjoy while the watermelon is still chilled.

3. Tips from the Kitchen: How to Pick a Watermelon

   1. Pick up and feel the weight. Big or small, the watermelon should feel heavy for its size that means it has the water.
   2. Look for the Yellow field spot. Watermelons develop a splotch where they rest on the ground. When this splotch is creamy yellow, it's ripe.
   3. Knock it around. Tap the underbelly of the watermelon and try and listen to the thud. A dull thud indicates an under-ripe melon. You will get a dull thud if the flesh is soft, which you don’t want. Your knuckles should bounce off the melon, and the surface should be pretty hard/firm.