Labor Day is approaching soon, and summer is coming to an end. Before summer is over give this watermelon salad a try. This salad makes for a great presentation, beautiful colors on the plate and wonderful flavors. It will pair nicely with any meat that you are grilling.
GRILLED WATERMELON SALAD
1/2 (5-pound) seedless watermelon
balsamic glaze
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
2 cups fresh baby arugula
1 basket fresh blackberries
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Stand the watermelon half cut side down on a cutting board and slice away the rind, leaving a solid block of melon. Turn the block on its side and cut it into 8 squares, roughly 3 by 3 inches and 1-inch thick.
Heat grill medium-high heat. Drizzle just enough olive oil over watermelon slices to thinly coat and place on hot grill. Grill each side about 2 minutes until grill marks appear; transfer to a plate and season with salt.
To assemble the salads, put about 1/4 cup of baby arugula on a serving plate, followed by blackberries, a grilled slice of watermelon in the center, and top with a tablespoon of crumbled cheese and another 1/4 cup arugula, blackberries, another watermelon slice and another tablespoon of cheese. Finish each salad plate with a drizzle of basil dressing around the plate and balsamic glaze on top. Serve immediately.
Basil Dressing
2 cups (about ¼ pound) tightly packed fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¾ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place all ingredients in food processor except olive oil. Pulse until it resembles pesto. Slowly incorporate the olive oil. Taste and season if necessary.