Watermelon, onion and black olive salad recipe

Chargrilling watermelon changes its flavour and texture. Perfect for veggies who want to join in with the steak-eaters.

Watermelon is such a refreshing snack but it is also surprisingly delicious when chargrilled. The heat caramelises the flesh a little which brings out its sweetness and completely alters the texture of the fruit. Red onion, mixed leaves, olives and dill are tossed together with a lemony dressing to create the salad. This is all piled on top of the charred watermelon slices to create this beautiful veggie dish. We recommend serving this with our hummus, tabbouleh and a loaf of wholemeal to create a gorgeous vegetarian feast. For further watermelon inspo give our watermelon, cured ham and feta a try.

Ingredients

• 1 medium watermelon
• 1 red onion
• 3 spring onions
• 30g lamb’s lettuce
• 30g chicory leaves
• juice of 1 lemon
• 5tbsp olive oil
• 100g mixed kalamata olives, pitted
• 15g dill

Method

1. Cut the watermelon in half, remove the skin and cut into 2cm thick half-moon slices. Slice again into triangles.
2. Lie the watermelon slices on a tray or board covered with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper to absorb moisture, then season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Cut the red onion and spring onions into rounds and toss into a large bowl, then add the lamb’s lettuce and chicory leaves.
4. In an empty, lidded jar, shake the lemon juice and olive oil together to make a simple dressing. Set aside.
5. Now chargrill the watermelon slices for 5 mins on each side on a medium flame, or use a medium-hot griddle pan. Place them in the fridge to cool.
6. Shake the dressing and add it to the salad bowl, along with the olives and dill. Mix everything together well. Assemble the cool watermelon slices on a platter and add the dressed salad on top.