Friday felt like the first true day of spring. The sun was shining, and I could almost feel the trees and plants waking from their winter slumber. By lunchtime, we were ready for something cool and refreshing, so headed over to Kuzina and ordered watermelon salads. It was the perfect lunch for a perfect day.
Oh sure, there’s still snow on the ground, the trees are bare, and the temperatures are still in the low 30s at night. But the days are gloriously long, 13 hours of daylight and rising, and the sun’s warmth is finally breaking through.
I grabbed a knife and bag and unsuccessfully went hunting for the first dandelions of the year. Although they weren’t up yet, I did see tiny red leaves of garden sorrel poking through the dirt. Primroses and leopard’s bane are up and growing rapidly.
I wore boots and a wool coat for my Friday shopping. After the first stop, I dumped my coat in the car and basked in being able to walk around unencumbered. I saw women in sleeveless tops and men in shorts. It may be cold according to the thermometer, but Alaskans respond to the first sunny spring weather with outbursts of irrational exuberance.
The grocery store’s produce aisle was stacked high with reasonably priced melons, reflecting South America’s seasonal bounty. I couldn’t resist a cut of juicy red watermelon, and decided to make a Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad and pretend the snow was long gone.
The salad is one of my favorite dishes at Kuzina, a restaurant near the Ancient Agora archeological site in downtown Athens. Kuzina has an interesting menu, a very competent chef, and specializes in creative Greek cuisine.
We were last at Kuzina in September. My brother Bill and ! sister-i n-law Tommie had come to visit us in Greece; we met them in Athens before going to the island. It was great fun to show them around the city, and see it fresh through new eyes. The day we went to Kuzina, the four of us had spent the morning walking and walking through the fascinating Athenian streets.
One of my favorite things about Athens is the wonderful graffiti art painted on walls of abandoned and inhabited buildings alike. Here are some examples of the street art we saw on that sunny September day with Bill and Tommie:
Wa! termelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad (Î"ÏοσεÏή Σαλάτα! με Κ αÏποÏζι, Ρόκα και ΦÎτα)
Adapted from Kuzina Restaurant, Adrianou 9 (Thissio), Athens, Greece
This salad is simple to make, and the arugula and balsamic make it special. The keys are cutting the watermelon thick enough to stand on edge, and finding firm feta that can be cut into large flat pieces. It’s also important to use good quality traditional balsamic vinegar. If you can’t find good balsamic, you can replicate its flavor by enhancing commercial balsamic with a little brown sugar. I use a ratio of 1 tsp. brown sugar per 5 tablespoons of commercial balsamic.
Watermelon
Feta cheese
Arugula
Best quality balsamic vinegar
Cut the watermelon into 1” slices. Cut off the rind, and cut the flesh into sharp triangles (use the watermel! on trimmings for another purpose). I try and remove the seeds for ease of eating, but it’s not necessary to do so.
Cut the feta into slices and then into the same shape triangles as the watermelon, but slightly smaller. I cut the feta smaller than is shown in the picture because doing so creates a better balance of ingredients.
Wash, clean, and dry the arugula.
Arrange the watermelon and feta slices as shown in the above photogaph, and fill the center space with arugula. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over everything, and serve.
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Other Interesting Salad Recipes
Beet, Fennel, and Leek Salad with Lemon-Ginger Dressing (ΠαντζάÏια, ΜάÏαθο και Î Ïάσο! ΣαλΠ¬Ï„α με ΠιπεÏÏŒÏιζα Σάλτσα)
Beet and Red Pepper Salad (ΠαντζάÏια Σαλάτα με Κόκκινες ΠιπεÏιÎÏ‚)
Fennel-Preserved Lemon Salad with Preserved Lemon Aioli (Σαλάτα με ΜάÏαθο και Λεμόνια)
Grilled Radicchio and Arugula Salad with Parmesan Shavings (Σαλάτα με Ψητό Ραδίκιο, Î! ¡ÏŒÎºÎ±, και ΠαÏμεζάνα)
To find more salad recipes, Food Blog Search is a great tool.
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This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this week by Susan from The Well-Seasoned Cook.
how to cut a watermelon into triangles
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