Inventive food combining isn’t new, but you are starting to see more and more chefs experimenting with food combinations you would have never thought would actually taste good. Think adding sea salt to chocolate, or the latest health craze of mixing avocado and chocolate in shakes, etc. Additions to hamburgers grow wilder by the day; crunchy peanut butter and potato chips, anyone?

One of my favorite food combinations is the watermelon feta salad. It’s popping up on restaurant menus everywhere. There are lots of variations, but this recipe is my favorite. The watermelon feta salad is a great salad to serve at the end of the summer, when watermelons are plentiful. The saltiness of the feta complements the sweetness of the watermelon, and the lemony cucumber dressing makes every bite sparkle.

Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe 

Cucumber-Lemon Vinaigrette

1 cucumber peeled and seeded rough cut

1 large lemon: zest and juice = ½ cup

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Watermelon Feta Salad

2 cups watermelon, seeded and diced into ½”

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbles

1 handful fresh mint leaves, cut in thin strips

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette: Place the cucumber, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a blender and puree until smooth. With the blender running slowly, add the oil until it is finished. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the salad: Place watermelon and feta cheese in small bowl. Pour half of the vinaigrette over the salad. Toss and add additional vinaigrette as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the mint leaves.

Serves 4 to 6