Recipe-in-a-Flash: Watermelon, Feta, Black Olive Salad

A delish, quickie from Nigella Lawson. You can put this refreshing little salad together in about 5 minutes. It makes a perfect light lunch, or a terrific first dinner course on a balmy summer night. The combination of juicy watermelon, salty feta, briny black olives, fresh mint, and parsley is a winner. Plus, it is a gorgeous presentation.

Watermelon, Feta, Black Olive Salad (Nigella Lawson)

Serves 8*

Ingredients:

1 small red onion

4 limes

3-1/4 pounds watermelon (sweet and ripe)

8 oz feta cheese

1 bunch fresh Italian parsley

1 bunch fresh mint (chopped)

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

2/3 C pitted black olives (I used Kalamata)

Black pepper

Directions:

1. Peel and halve the red onion and cut into very fine half-moons and put in a small bowl to steep with the lime juice, to bring out the transparent pinkness in the onions and diminish their rasp. Two limes’ worth should do it, but you can find the fruits disappointingly dried up and barren when you cut them in half, in which case add more.
2. Remove the rind and pits from the watermelon, and cut into approximately 1-1/2” triangular chunks (Nigella says math is not her strong suit so she hopes this makes sense). Cut the feta into similar sized pieces and put them both into a large, wide shallow bowl. Tear off sprigs of parsley so that it is used like a salad leaf, rather than a garnish, and add to the bowl along with the chopped mint.
3. Tip the now glowingly puce onions, along with their pink juices over the salad in the bowl, add the oil and olives, then using your hands, toss the salad very gently so that the feta and melon don’t lose their shape. Add a good grinding of black pepper and taste to see whether the dressing needs more lime.

*Note: Nigella’s recipe is written for 8 servings. I very easily adapted it downward, but used her original measurements in this printing.

Soft Shell Crabs with Orzo Summer Salad

One of our favorite summer meals is soft shell crabs. Last week, we were able to buy “whales” at Gus and Company Fish Market in Montclair (whales are the largest size of soft shells). They weren’t cheap but they were incredibly meaty and brimming with freshness.

After a light dusting of seasoned flour, the crabs are sautéed in a delicate mix of just butter, olive oil, and cream sherry. They come up golden brown, crisp, and delectable. I can’t provide a formal recipe for you because it was a “verbal” recital from a friend’s long ago stint at a New Jersey seaside restaurant. These are the best soft shells we've ever had. Here’s the gist:

Mix some all-purpose flour with salt, freshly ground pepper, and a bit of paprika in a bowl. Transfer seasoned flour to a plate or container big enough to use for dredging. 

Dry the crabs with a paper towel. Dredge crabs in seasoned flour and set aside.

Melt 1-2 TB of butter and 1-2 TB olive oil (it should be a 50/50 proportion) in a heavy duty pan (we use cast iron). When the pan is hot, add the crabs, shell side down and cook until golden. Flip and cook about 3-5 minutes, depending on size of crabs. Remove crabs from the pan, add about 1/4 cup of cream sherry and cook until alcohol evaporates and approximately 2 TB of sauce remains. Pour pan sauce over crabs and serve.

We made a delightful orzo salad to accompany the crabs. From the good cooks over at Food52, this salad is the perfect summer side, packed with sweet cherry tomatoes, scallions, fresh spinach, and salty feta. It’s colorful and delicious, and as a bonus, you can make it ahead of time. If you like, a bright Sauvignon Blanc is very nice with this meal.

Happy Summer Eating!