Summer’s almost here, and you want to be ready! This light and refreshing Watermelon Salad will brighten any barbeque, picnic, or warm night on your deck. There’s an added bonus… if you use locally-produced Hermiston watermelons, which require very little fossil fuel use to get them to Portland, you can even look at this as a sustainable, carbon-free salad!
Ingredients:
- 1 watermelon
- 1 English Cucumber
- Mint
- Basil
- 1 package of crumbled goat’s milk cheese
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Big pinch of Salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of 1 small lemon
Directions:
- Cut watermelon into 1 inch chunks
- Slice cucumber long wise, then slice the halves longwise again. Dice into ¼ inch pieces
- Mix oil, lemon juice, honey and salt in a small bowl, set aside
- Tear mint and basil into small strips
- In a large mixing bowl toss watermelon, cheese, cucumber and herbs.
- Top with dressing, mix gently and serve
Picking the best melon
(from “Welcome to Hermiston, Where Watermelons are a Source of Pride”, CoastalCountry.com, Sep 2021) “Folks who know a thing or two about the fruit have some suggestions to help you pick the best watermelon for your next barbecue or celebration. First, knock on the melon. If it has a nice, deep sound to it, you’ve likely picked a sweet one. Or you can employ the look-at-the-bottom method. Simply roll the watermelon over until you find the part of the produce that laid on the ground as it grew. If that part is a creamy yellow rather than white, your family will praise your name and ask for your secret to picking the perfect melon.”
A little more about Hermiston Melons
(from AgLink.org) “Since the first half of the twentieth century, when farmers started planting the seeds in rotation with the other onion, potatoes, and grain of Eastern Oregon, the melons of the Hermiston area have been delighting consumers with their natural sweetness. Watermelons come from plenty of other places, of course, but Hermiston has a climate that allows for the quality local product to show up in stores when the harvests in California and the southwest are all but done. On top of the great timing, the melons from Hermiston bring a little extra goodness to the table…”
