Planning on having a celebratory holiday weekend barbecue today? Want to make a summery and bright side salad to go with your grilled goodies?
Drawing on the drinks people were enjoying around me last night, I decided to make watermelon the superstar in our July 4th weekend salad. Except instead of cubing the watermelon and lets lightly sear cubes of watermelon to develop a nice light char and smokiness to the fantastically juicy sweet summertime fruit.
What goes with this grilled watermelon?
How about some lightly steamed English peas, some fresh mint, crumbled French feta, and some oven roasted basil leaves? A simple ode to summer's bounty topped with a homemade balsamic shallot dressing to dial up the salad a notch. Perfect with a summertime white wine, perhaps a Lieb Cellars Pinot Blanc.
While the watermelon is grilling, brush a handful of basil leaves with EVOO and some sel de la guerande. Toss on an oven safe dish at 250 degrees and let these guys roast until they are crisp. Next up, combine the watermelon, the crunchy peas, diced up fresh mint, and French feta with some sel de la guerande and black pepper. Top with a handful of the roasted basil leaves and your homemade dressing. To compose the dressing, saute a half a shallot, combine with EVOO, extra aged balsamic vinegar, a drop of lemon juice, and some oregano. Mix together and pour lightly over your salad.
Curious as to why I suggested French and not Greek or Bulgarian feta?
Well French feta has less of a sharp, tangy, briny bite than the Greek and Bulgarian versions and for our summer salad today, the creamy notes of the French feta will complement the char of the grilled watermelon and the aromatics of the mint and roasted basil.
Stay tuned for an entire American patriotic cheese selection in honor of the 4th of July tomorrow.
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