3: Savory Watermelon?

I went grocery shopping yesterday and on a whim, bought a watermelon. I have not yet figured out the secret to picking a good melon and it is often a miss rather than a hit on those rare occasions when I make the attempt. (I've seen people tapping or knocking on them but they all sound the same to me!) Fortunately yesterday's choice turned out to be fairly decent. Sweet and firm and perfectly ripe.

My parents always keep a cut-up watermelon in the kitchen refrigerator and a second one in the outside fridge. When they are in season, my mother eats a big bowl of sliced melon as her bedtime snack every night. We're purists when it comes to eating watermelon. I'm willing to try all sorts of new things with cantaloupe and honeydew but watermelons are meant to be eaten freshly sliced, cold, right out of the rind. Once in a while, if it happens not to have much flavor or sweetness, I'll sprinkle on a little salt but it has to be really inadequate before I can justify doctoring up the flavor.

Savory watermelon salads seem to be all the rage here these days. Many higher end restaurants are now featuring it on the menu. Watermelon and tomato with balsamic dressing. Watermelon and feta. Watermelon and onion. Very odd...

So rather than go with your typical fruit salad tonight, I decided to be adventurous and try out something savory. A quick search online revealed that most recipes are variations on a Mediterranean theme. Onions, tomatoes and mint are typical, kalamata olives and gourmet greens are occasionally added. Olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar are frequent accoutrements. Paula Deen uses red wine vinegar while another cook suggested marinating onions in lime juice to soften their flavor and then to use it as part of the dressing.

I decided to go with Jacques Pépin's version on foodandwine.com. I loved the cooking show that he hosted with Julia Childs (now in re-runs on PBS) and found his addition of hot sauce intriguing. Unfortunately I am out of feta and none of the other cheeses in my storehouse were pungent enough to be a substitute so I had to do without, but truthfully, I didn't miss it a bit.

The flavor was...intriguing. I was not thrilled with the olives but everything else came together to create a very interesting taste "experience." I can't think of any other way to describe it.

Yes, I did enjoy it and would definitely make this salad for guests if for no other reason than that it is so unusual.