Watermelon, Feta and Black Olive
Three ingredients that have no business working together and absolutely do. There is no dressing beyond oil and pepper, because the watermelon provides all the liquid a plate needs.
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 0 min
- Total 10 min
- Serves 6
- Vegetarian
Method
Step 1. Soak the sliced onion in the vinegar with a pinch of salt while you do everything else. Ten minutes takes the harshness out of it and turns it pink.
Step 2. The watermelon must be properly cold. Room-temperature watermelon is watery and sad, and this dish has nowhere to hide.
Step 3. Lay the wedges over a large platter in a single loose layer. Do not pile them; every piece should be reachable.
Step 4. Scatter over the feta in large pieces — crumbs disappear into the melon juice, big pieces stay as mouthfuls.
Step 5. Add the olives, the drained onion and the mint.
Step 6. Pour the oil over, grind on a lot of black pepper, and add flaky salt only after tasting. Feta and olives are already salty, and this is one of the rare plates that often needs none.
Step 7. Serve within about fifteen minutes. It gets watery as it stands.
Notes from the kitchen
- Tear the olives rather than chopping them, and buy ones with stones in. Pre-stoned olives are almost always soft and flavourless.
- A pinch of dried oregano rubbed between your palms over the top is a good addition and not a necessary one.
- It is not the same without feta, but a firm ricotta salata or a dry, salty goat cheese both work.
