Watermelon Salad with Feta, Cucumber and Mint

Here is a refreshing (and easy) summer salad to make for the family.  With watermelons at the peak of their sweetness, now is the time to enjoy them.  The crunchiness of the cucumber provides a textural contrast to the melon.  Feta cheese provides a salty, earthy note.  Fresh jalapeno and red onion adds a kick and some heat, but be careful not to overdo it. Taste a little of the jalapeno before adding it to the dish, as you can wind up playing chile roulette!  Some jalapenos are quite mild, while some will blow your head off!  For this particular salad, fresh mint or basil are a must!  Mint is preferred, but basil (although more savory) will also work.  Thanks to Diane D for the inspiration for this weeks recipe.

Ingredients:

1/4 watermelon, cut into bite-sized chunks (Wegman’s has packaged watermelon hearts)
1/2 English cucumber (seedless)
1/4 red onion, diced fine
2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 lime (zest and juice)
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
4-5 fresh mint or basil leaves, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced fine
salt and pepper

Peel and slice the cucumber down the middle and then cut up each half into half-moons about a ½” wide. Seed and finely dice the jalapeno chile.  (I strongly suggest wearing rubber kitchen gloves for doing this.) Toss the cucumber, the diced melon red onion and lime zest in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese on top, and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Drizzle a really good quality extra-virgin olive oil and the juice of the lime over the top. Sprinkle the chopped mint leaves or basil on top of the salad as a garnish.