I have been on a quest to not let my house heat up with the late afternoon sun. That, can make it harder to cook dinner. But I have found several dishes that require no heat to cook and have managed to keep the house cool.
This salad, has become a new staple. First, I have a huge mint plant. If you don’t grow it here, you should. It is a perennial, so it will come back year after year, and it takes very little maintenance. It also used one of my new favorite things: whipped feta. And finally, watermelon is in season.
This salad is light and refreshing and has been a huge hit around the house the couple of times I have already made it. Try it next time you want to keep your house cool.
Another easy trick? Buy pre-made cookies, like these from Persephone, and make ice cream sandwiches for dessert. I made this cherry ice cream but you can short cut that step if you choose.
Ingredients
- Whipped feta (recipe below)
- Watermelon, seeded and cubed
- mint leaves
- lemon
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- pistachios, chopped
Instructions
- Add 8 ounces of feta to a food processor along with the juice of half a lemon, a bit of salt and pepper and enough half and half to make the feta smooth when you turn on the motor and blend it (1/4 a cup or less).
- Spread the feta out along the bottom of a plate.
- In a bowl, add the watermelon. Sprinkle with a generous amount of mint leaves. Add the juice of 1 lemon (or less depending upon your proportions) and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and lightly toss.
- Add the watermelon mixture to the plate, on top of the feta. Top with pistachio.
