Watermelon & Feta Salad with Preserved Lemon Dressing

Happy New Year everyone.  I love this time of year.  Of course, it's summer here in New Zealand, and what's not to love about that?  But, I also love that sense of new beginnings that accompany the season, and I can tell you, after the year that was last year, a new beginning is definitely called for.

I love too the profusion of summer produce, and can't get enough of fresh salads and light and healthy vegetable dishes right now.  This watermelon and feta salad, with its tangy preserved lemon dressing is one of my favourite salads, and one which I make many times over summer.  Its freshness and lightness is the perfect antidote after a couple of weeks of Christmas excesses, and it makes a great accompaniment for summer barbeques - though I'm happy to eat it as a meal on its own.

You don’t have to be fussy about quantities for this.  Just use a nice, large flat platter and just make as much as you need to satisfy however many mouths you are trying to feed.  Feel like ringing the changes - try using green olives instead of black (as I have done in these photos), or maybe a mixture of both;  chunks of avocado or toasted pine nuts make a nice addition;  some roasted shrimp are another nice addition if you want to make this into something a little more substantial.

Watermelon & Feta Salad with Preserved Lemon Dressing Recipe

A rough guide for 4 people would be

Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

watermelon (probably half a medium-sized melon)

2x lemons

block of feta

couple of handfuls of black olives (I like Kalamata olives)

1/2 preserved lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

drizzle of honey

salt & pepper

Heat a chargrill pan over very high heat.  Cut one lemon in half, and when pan is hot place lemon cut side down in the pan.  Cook until the cut surface of the lemon has taken on caramelised grill marks and the juice is beginning to flow.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Remove rind from watermelon and cut into large chunks - please yourself whether you choose to flick out the seeds or not.  Arrange watermelon chunks over large flat platter.

Sprinkle black olives evenly over the watermelon.

Now grate the zest of half of the remaining lemon and reserve.

Next prepare the dressing.  Place preserved lemon, olive oil, juice of the remaining lemon and a small drizzle of honey into a small blender and blitz until smooth and creamy.  Taste and season as necessary - note you may not need to add salt as the preserved lemon will be salty, but you may want to add some pepper and you may want to adjust the sweetness.

Place the feta in one large slab on top of the watermelon.  Drizzle the whole thing with the preserved lemon dressing, and sprinkle lemon zest over the top.  Serve with the chargrilled lemon halves on the side.

Fantastic served with a glass of chilled ouzo!

I'm sharing this post at Gallery of Favourites, hosted by my friend April at The 21st Century Housewife;  at See Ya In the Gumbo, hosted by the lovely Michelle at Ms. enPlace;  at Foodie Friday, hosted by Designs by Gollum; and at My Meatless Mondays hosted by Chaya at My Sweet and Savory