For The Love of Food

There's nothing like watermelon on a hot sticky day. Today is one of those days, so in anticipation of the heat I whipped up this Chopped Veggie Salad with Watermelon and Feta Cheese last night. Honestly, it is one of the easiest and tastiest summer salads I've ever had - and it'll impress the pants off of anyone (not like I've tried). Although it's popular for breakfast in Israel, it can be eaten at any time of day, and it also works really well as a BBQ side dish. I adapted this recipe from one I found featured in Bon Appétit last summer, but nixed their yogurt dressing in favor of simply delicious olive oil. This sweet and savory combination hits the spot every time...

Ingredients:
1 large tomato
1 cup seeded watermelon, cut into cubes
1 large red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into cubes
1/2 large seedless cucumber, cut into cubes
1 cup cubed feta cheese
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a smile.

Note: This salad gets pretty juicy as the salt works its magic on the veggies, so drain it on occasion to keep the salad as crunchy as possible. Say no to soggy veggies.

For The Love of Food

It's no secret that I've become quite the gastronomic wizard in the past two years, with a little help from Bon Appetit, SmittenKitchen and Epicurious. I have a few favorite recipes that I bust out when I want to impress or titillate, but I'm forever searching for new ones to test out. I'm slowly becoming comfortable enough in the kitchen to let loose and create my own dishes, but I still find comfort in following a recipe meticulously and savoring the results. Lately I've been craving light summery fare, so I thought I would try an oldie but a goodie: Grilled Tuna & Mango Salad published in the October 1995 issue of Bon Appetit. The results were fantastic - the cool mango salad was flavorful and zesty, and when paired with the seared tuna the combination totally hit the spot. Try it for yourself:

Ingredients:
1 Mango, pitted and chopped
3/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
Chopped fresh cilantro (as much or as little as you like)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Tuna steak
Olive oil or vegetable oil for grilling tuna

Preparation:
Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl, season with salt & pepper.
Grill tuna about 4 minutes per side (I don't have an outdoor grill so I have a grill pan that works nicely). Plate the tuna with the salad and serve - easy and delicious!