Watermelon Salad with Mint and Arugula

-Cut a 3-4 pound watermelon in half.

-Slice about an inch off the bottom of each half, then remove the rind.

-Cut into 1-inch chunks.

-Place watermelon chunks in a large bowl.

-With a vegetable peeler, take 4, 2-inch strips of rind off of a lemon.

-Finely chop the strips of lemon zest.

-Add 1 TBS lemon juice and half of zest to bowl with watermelon.

-Cut 1 bunch of arugula into thin strips then spin dry.

-Add the following to the watermelon:

3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves

The chopped arugula

A small pinch of finely ground sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

-Transfer salad to a wide, shallow bowl or

-a large plate and spread out evenly.

-Crumble ¼ cup feta cheese over the top.

-Sprinkle with remaining lemon zest.

-Drizzle with more olive oil and some more black pepper.

-Serve immediately.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Feta and Toasted Almonds

-Cut 1 small watermelon into 1-inch chunks and place in a large bowl.

-Cut 1 pound of ripe tomatoes into half inch chunks, then add to the bowl with tomato.

-Sprinkle with half a tsp of fleur de sel, then toss to blend.

-Let stand 15 minutes.

-Toast ¼ cup of sliced almonds over low heat until just browned.

-Add the following to the tomato/melon mixture:

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1 TBS chopped fresh herbs (such as cilantro, basil or mint)

-Season with black pepper and more salt if desired and toss.

-Sprinkle with ½ cup feta cheese and  the toasted almonds and serve.
 

Kale with Red Beans, Cilantro and Feta Cheese

From Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

-Soak 1½ cup dried red kidney beans for 4 hours or overnight.

-Drain the beans, cover them with plenty of cold water and bring to a boil.

-Remove any scum that rises to the surface, than add the following:

2 bay leaves

½ tsp thyme leave

3 chopped fresh garlic cloves 

A big pinch of sea salt

-Lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 1½ hour.

-Chop up 1 bunch kale into 1 or 2 inch pieces and rinse well.

-Bring a few quarts of water to boil and add some salt and the kale.

-Simmer until tender, about 3-5 minutes then drain.

-Heat 2 TBS butter in a wide skillet.

-Add the kale and the beans with enough of the cooking liquid so that there’s plenty of sauce.

-Add 1 bunch chopped cilantro (keep a little of the chopped cilantro for garnish).

-Simmer together for at least 10 minutes, than serve garnished with crumbled feta cheese and the remaining cilantro.