Watermelon and and fetta salad
Celebrating the refreshing and detoxifying properties of watermelon and fennel, this fresh side salad is perfect for a summer lunch or dinner. Make sure you source sweet eating onions to avoid the sharpness that can come from raw onion. We used Calabrian grown, Tropea onions (known by the Italians as la regina rossa) and favoured for being one of the sweetest onion varieties in the world.
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb, core removed, finely chopped (fennel fronds reserved)
- 1 Tropea onion, finely sliced
- ¼ teaspoon Maldon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- 3 tablespoons high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 slice ripe watermelon, cubed
- 50g Greek fetta, crumbled
Directions
- Step 1 Combine the fennel and onion in a medium-sized bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Coat with the olive oil and combine.
- Step 2 Top with the watermelon and fetta, garnish with the reserved fennel fronds and serve immediately.
One of the pleasures of cooking is preparing the ingredients. Be aware of all your senses while you are preparing this salad. Can you observe the aniseed smell of the fennel? Can you taste the sweetness of the Tropea onions and appreciate their unique flavour? Can you focus on the hue of the watermelon? What sound does your grinder make as you crack the pepper or glug the olive oil? How does it feel to crumble the fetta between your fingers and to sprinkle it on top? Being aware of all our senses during a simple activity like making a salad, can help to quickly ground us in the present. What other activities this week could benefit from your awareness?
