Truly one of the most delicious and easy salads! I know the combination may seem a little different, but trust me on this one.
Grilling the watermelon does a couple things. First, it evaporates some of the water in the melon rendering it more dense and flavorful, Second, although it’s not on the grill long enough to caramelize like more dense fruit (pineapple, nectarines) the sugars do heat up enough to create a richer flavor.
I’ve made this before without the tomatoes, but I had these beautiful sweet heirloom cherry tomatoes that not only provided a cool color contrast, but the flavors really complimented the grilled watermelon. The blueberries provide little busts of sweetness and are contrasted with the salty feta cheese. Toss in chopped fresh mint, a squeeze of fresh orange and lime juice and BAM!
- 3 pounds watermelon, cut into 1-inch thick quarter slices
- 2 cups halved heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup blueberries
- 4 ounces good quality feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- Juice from ½ orange
- Juice from 1 lime
- Set up grill for direct heat cooking over medium-high heat. Brush and oil grates before grilling.
- Place watermelon slices on hot grill and cook for about 2 minutes per side until lightly marked and deeper in color. Set aside to cool and then chill in the refrigerator. Keep all ingredients cold.
- Remove rind from grilled watermelon and cut into bite-size pieces. Place watermelon, tomatoes, blueberries, feta, and mint in a serving bowl. (Can be made a couple hours ahead to this point and kept cold covered in the refrigerator.) Squeeze in the orange and lime juices and then toss to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~ Jeff
[…] TRY: Grilled Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato and Blueberry Salad […]