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Monday, August 14, 2017

A Pair of Watermelon Salads


The world is exploding, and I am popping in to say: WATERMELON. Forgive me. This is the bifurcated world we seem to be living in, that on the one hand there are white supremacists showing doing violence that our president refuses to condemn. On the other hand, crisp and juicy-fleshed watermelon, which is suddenly the only thing I want to eat. 

So, the watermelon itself is delicious enough. But I'm also mildly obsessed with two different salads, and, since I can't pick--I mean, I will start to make one, and then think, No, no, and make the other--I'm telling you about both of them. These are less exact portraits of ingredients than they are rough sketches. They are both exquisitely refreshing, complicated, and perfectly simple.

Watermelon Caprese
This is, yes, a version of Caprese salad with watermelon in it. To make this one, dice up a quarter of a seedless watermelon, 4 large tomatoes, and a pound of fresh mozzarella (I love the kind from Trader Joe's). Add a large handful of slivered basil leaves, a couple bloops of olive oil, a small splash of balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
Stir gently, and eat as soon as possible, because the salt will draw the water out of the melon. (You should drink this from the bowl, though. I'm just saying.)


Watermelon, Feta, and Mint 
Dice half of a seedless watermelon and add about 6 ounces crumbled feta (a cup or two), the juice and grated zest of 1 or 2 large, juicy limes, a large handful of slivered mint leaves, and a pinch of aleppo pepper flakes (or something similarly spicy/flavorful). Stir gently and taste for lime, feta, mint, heat. I don't add salt or oil to this one.


Stay safe, keep each other safe, and resist, my darlings. xo


15 comments:

  1. "I don't add salt to this one." Sign of the end times or???

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    1. This made me laugh so much! I love you. xo

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  2. Karen1:26 PM

    Hahaha! I love Rebecca's comment. Catherine not adding salt? Now I am even more worried!!!!

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. But it was such a great comment! I saw it in my feed! Alas. I will respect your decision.

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    2. Haha, I removed it because it gave my full name, which was a bit of a privacy no-no. But then it left my name on here anyway, so...
      It's been a melon-fest for me all summer- not only the watermelon-feta salad, but also melon popsicles with lime juice and chunks of kiwi, which are divine. Happy rest-of-summer!

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  4. I love all of your post
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  5. Anonymous10:35 AM

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  6. Anonymous12:01 PM

    but Catherine, summer is almost over and I never saw the cigar vase....

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  7. And in midst of all this crazy shit happening in the world I had to drop my wee baby girl off at college halfway across the country! Ah, well. At least there is watermelon. Sigh.

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  8. I happened across you again when you did a guest blog of some sort, and a flood of first-time-mom memories came rushing over me. I was 19, a new mother, and your stories about Ben and his "slinky" dancing , or Birdy's first story (something about falling into the cold water) got me through the roughest parts of the day (when the only things on TV were soap operas, every book in the house had been read thrice, and all of my friends were off to college). I'm so glad I found your blog, again. And, oh, my word, how Ben and Birdy have grown! Ben, a young man?! Birdy, a teenager?! It's almost too much...but, then, my oldest is already 12, soooo... yeah, glad to have found you again! And love this recipe. Feta and melon is a favorite combo of mine. Gonna have to try it out!

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    1. Sigh. Right? I'm so glad you're back!

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