Watermelon and fetta salad

The next time someone this summer says ‘bring a plate’ – remember this watermelon and fetta salad! It’s fresh, crowd pleasing and even a little bit foodie fancy.

I must confess to getting stuck in the occasional cooking rut. Cooking is about routine and the habitual, but sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zones. No one wants to eat their favourite meal every single day! Likewise, our bodies crave a huge variety of nutrients – mixing up the kind of things we cook varies the fare we eat, allowing us to meet all of those complex needs we have to keep us running in tip top condition.

In the spirit of sharing, I thought I would let you in on the solution to my last cooking rut. I honestly can’t remember how I stumbled across it, but since then summer barbeques have become a breeze! Kids and big kids alike seem to love the combination of salty fetta and sweet juicy watermelon – it’s bright and chunky, but still eatable stood up if you’re trying to wrangle a dog in a backyard.

I think it’s perfect for this time of year – slightly festive in its appearance, and super Australian with its so-daggy-it’s-cool-again curly topped parsley. Something about the frazzled leaves on curly leaf parsley always reminds me of 80’s Australiana, and the joy of our slightly tacky, Spaghetti Bolognese driven food trends. Just as Australian eating habits have matured, this unusual salad combination is a bit fancy, but made up of classic Australian elements.

I always bring a loaf of good, crusty sourdough to have along with this dish – the juices are too good not to be enjoyed.

Watermelon and fetta salad

Ingredients

• ½ watermelon, cubed
• 1 packet smooth fetta, cubed
• 1 telegraph cucumber, skin partially peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ bunch curly leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 loaf crunchy sourdough, to serve

Instructions:

1. Combine watermelon, fetta and cucumber in a bowl (as the pieces should be roughly the same size), taking care not to keep the fetta pieces intact.
2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, parsley, a good pinch of flaked salt and a grind of black pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and gently distribute using your hands.
3. Serve with a hunk of crusty bread to soak up the juices with.