Farmers' Market Friday - A Way with Watermelon {Kicked Up Watermelon Feta Salad}

Growing up in South Texas, watermelon was a beloved summer treat. Back in those days, there wasn't much choice when it came to the fruit. They were giant, ovular fruits, striped with the light and darker green and riddled with seeds. Due to their enormous size, chilling one down usually meant that Honey (my dad) would get out the old cooler, fill it with ice and ice water, put the melon in there and wait....and wait....until finally his sixth sense would tell him that it was cold enough. We'd lug that melon inside and he'd pull out his giant carving knife and slice off thick slabs of melon. A quick shake of salt on the melon flesh, and then,  we'd either take the wedges outside to eat, allowing the juice to run down our faces and seeing who could spit their seeds the farthest, or, I'd have a big circle slab on a large plate and go to work with a melon baller. As a kid, there was something magical about those little balls scooped fresh from the melon. 

Today, of course, seedless melons are readily available and the sizes are completely refrigerator sized as well (not to mention relatively tiny personal sized melons, too.) There also seems to have been an explosion of recipes using melon in inventive ways - soups, drinks, salads, relishes - you name it, and there is probably a melon recipe for it.

Considering our recent virtual culinary trip to the Levant and thinking of a "medi-eastern" influence again, for this week's Farmer's Market Friday offering, we'll use watermelon in yet another light, refreshing and surprising salad.

For this recipe, the ingredients from the market include:

• watermelon
• Olive oil

Kicked up Watermelon and Feta Salad

• 6 C watermelon cubes
• 1/4-1/3 C mint, finely chopped
• 1/3 C olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tsp Sriracha sauce
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper and Sriracha sauce.
2. Add watermelon and mint. Stir to coat with the dressing. Sprinkle with the crumbled feta and serve.

The sweetness of the watermelon is highlighted by the tart lemon, the saltiness of the feta and the wonderful mint. Add in that sweet hot kick from the Sriracha and you've got a lovely salad to go along side some chicken kabobs or grilled lamb chops. 

Happy Cooking!

sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

Farmers' Market Friday - Crisp, Fresh, and Savory {Fattoush Salad}

When last we met here in this space, we were spending a little time in the Levant - that geographic and cultural area of the Eastern Mediterranean - what I like to refer to as Medi-Eastern. The farmers' market is full of tomatoes and cucumbers and they are the central components of this most delicious, refreshing salad. Paired with last week's FMF dish of Baba Ghannouj and perhaps some grilled kabobs and you're set for a Medi-Eastern inspired feast.

For this recipe the items from the market include:

• luscious, ripe tomatoes- I used a mix of both yellow and red
• crisp, juicy and flavorful cucumbers
• onions and garlic - I used some garlic and some purple onions that I had picked up at the market a while back and hoarded stored in a cool, dry, place; unsure of current availability status - if you can grab some of that glorious garlic and super fab. onions.
• whole wheat pitas from Artisan Oven
• Olive oil from Central Texas Olive Ranch

Fattoush Salad 

• 2-3 medium cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
• 3-4 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 C minced onion (your choice what type)
• 1/2 C fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1/3 C Olive oil
• 1/4 C fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 pita breads (about 7 in diameter)
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350F and bake pita breads until crisp and lightly browned to make crispy chip. (about 10 minutes).
2. Toss together in a large bowl: cucumber, tomatoes, onion and herbs.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt to taste. Whisk until completely emulsified (mixture will appear creamy yellow).
4. Pour dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss well. Add crumbled pita toasts and feta cheese. Toss again and enjoy immediately.

We love this salad. The fresh vegetables and herbs are delicious when highlighted by the brightness and zinginess of the lemony dressing. Add the crispiness of the toasted pita and the salty tang of that feta and I could just eat truck loads of this stuff! I have taken to making a big giant batch and only adding the toasted pita bits to each individual serving so that it is crisp and ready to go and totally avoids the sogginess that can happen if you toss it together ahead of time. Also, as I've mentioned before, the recipe for this dish varies by family in the region. With that in mind, feel free to leave out herbs that aren't your favorites or to add other appropriate vegetables - diced green pepper would be a great addition, for example.

Try out this Summer cooler at your home and take an imaginary trip to an exotic land.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.