Watermelon Salad with Parmesan and Olives

Run out and pick up a BIG JUICY WATERMELON! Make this salad with some of it and eat the rest outside under a great, big shade tree.

Watermelon is one of my favorite Summertime treats, you may see watermelon in the grocery store before the Summer starts but they’re usually flavorless,  washed out and pale in color, do NOT buy those. Be patient, wait for the deep red melons of Summer.

Chilled watermelon straight from the fridge is the way I usually eat it, but sometimes it’s nice to spice up an old favorite. When I was a kid we would sprinkle salt on our watermelon, I guess we were some “gourmet” kids!

This watermelon, olive and Parmesan salad reminds me of the juicy, sweet, salty watermelon of my childhood. The salt of the Parmesan and the brine of the olives work will with the watermelon, enhancing it’s sweetness. I like the flavor of Kalamata olives with this (I get my olives from the salad bar in the grocery store or in a jar, not the canned kind. They taste like…well, the can).  Raw red onion adds a little ‘bite” to this salad but not too much. Soak the red onion in a little iced water to take some of that sharp “bite” out of it.

#Summer Salad Series: Watermelon, Parmesan, Olives

Demetra Overton

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1/4 of a red onion sliced thin
• 4 cups sliced watermelon
• 1 cup Kalamata olives

/4 cup sliced banana peppers

• 1 tablespoon Balsamic or Sherry Vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped

Instructions

 

• Soak the red onion in iced water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients
• Cut the watermelon into bite sized pieces.
• Smash the Kalamata olives, remove the pit, tear the olive in half
• Arrange the watermelon, olives, banana peppers and red onion in a bowl or a plate
• Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• Shave Parmesan cheese over
• Sprinkle chives over the top
• serve.

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