Cold, refreshing and incredibly easy to make, watermelon salads add unexpected  brightness to your summertime dinner table.  I appreciate the texture and coolness of the watermelon most when it counters grilled meats and vegetables.   We served this salad–watermelon balls with blueberries, fresh mint and a sprinkle of sea salt– in a beautiful glass compote beside grilled salmon and corn plus another salad of sliced heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers.  A perfect farm-fresh feast.

Even easier, cubed watermelon chunks with fresh mint and sea salt to taste.  And a Fourth of July sparkler never hurts!  We had this salad alongside the best kind of 4th fare–grilled burgers and Italian sausage, herbed potato salad and grilled corn.  Because the watermelon is cut into larger cubes here, you can make the salad a few hours ahead of time and let it sit, covered, in the fridge without having to worry about the watermelon getting too wet.

Here we have watermelon rounds, cherry tomatoes, feta and mint with sea salt and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.  This salad has been very popular in food magazines in recent years and it’s my favorite side dish during the summer–which is why I had to have it at my wedding.  Our entree was fillet of beef tenderloin with a fresh corn polenta and grilled asparagus.

xoxo sl