Watermelon Salad with French Feta and Mint

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
one 8 oz seedless watermelon
scooped into balls with a Mellon peeler
1/2 pound good french feta
1 cup kalmata olives coarsely chopped
1 small red onion chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint





In a large bowl whisk together the oil, lemon juice,
salt, Tabasco and pepper. Add the watermelon, feta,
olives and onion. Garnish with the Mint and serve.

It certainly feels like fall is coming. The mornings are darker. The days are becoming shorter. I'm grabbing my sweater more often than I'd like. And of course, football season has started. I have to say I'm excited for the cool nights, beautiful sunsets and warm comfort foods of the fall. I can't wait to cook lively stews, big pots of beans and roasts that have my house smelling like heaven.

But we are still in summer even if it didn't quite feel like it this year. We have had lots of fog and it has been rather chilly. The coldest summer I remember.

So, when I was shopping today and I saw a beautiful watermelon that was calling to me... "summer is still here"... I had to buy it for what feels like one last hurrah.

I first saw this classic recipe done by Jacques Pepin forever ago when there were no Food Network channels and the local PBS stations ran a few cooking shows one day a week. It seems like a lifetime ago. Now there is a cooking show on all hours of the day. Lucky us!!!

Sometimes watermelon can be a little ... I hate to say boring. This recipe adds a lil punch to what could otherwise be something that people leave on their plate. Use a nice french feta. It is softer then the traditional Greek feta and less salty. The olives are optional I happen to like the saltiness it adds.

This is great to take to a picnic or a gathering. Serve it with some prosciutto or a burger. We had it tonight with a grilled steak and a baked potato.

Enjoy