Watermelon with Mint, Feta and Honey Lime Cayenne Drizzle

 

This can be an appetizer or salad 

The key to this summer hors d’oeuvres (that can also easily be made into a salad) is buying a good watermelon. The skin on a watermelon should be firm and not soft. When I’m catering and can’t risk a bad watermelon I often buy two at two different locations to increase my odds of one of them being right. If the watermelon is bad feed it to the birds and go buy another one.

When I originally posted this recipe on my blog I made it with passionfruit juice but that was challenging for most people to find. For the last five years I’ve made it this way:

1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup honey 

Dash of cayenne pepper.

Mix until honey and lime juice combine. 

The squares are one inch cubes and I cut the watermelon in half, cut the rind off, cut into one inch thick slabs and then cut strips and eventually squares.

I use a mini melon baller to hollow them out. But you can use a 1/4 teaspoon as well. 

At this point you can make them a day in advance and cover the squares with a wet paper towel and seal in an airtight container.

I use French feta. I have a few fetas I really like and will share those. Do not use precrumbled feta. You want whole feta that you break into large chunks.

Put the fresh mint in the hole first, then the feta, then put the honey lime drizzle on right before serving.

For the salad version cut the watermelon up however you want. Toss with the drizzle (double the drizzle recipe for a whole watermelon) add fresh mint leaves and sprinkle with feta on top.