Mediterranean Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

2 8-inch pitas, medium diced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 8-to-10-pound seedless watermelon, diced
1 english cucumber, quartered, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
1 romaine heart, roughly chopped
5 red radishes, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475ºF. Place the diced pitas on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and toast in the oven 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Remove from the oven.

While the pitas toast, in a small bowl combine the garlic, lemon pepper, and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the 1/4 cup olive oil until well combined; season with salt to taste.

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, cucumber, romaine, radishes, scallions, parsley, and mint; if you would like to add some meat, such as lamb, add here as well. Season with salt and pepper.

Add as much of the dressing as you like and toss thoroughly to coat. Add the toasted pitas and gently mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional mint leaves and serve.

Ellena's Notes

Natalie made us this salad for lunch one day at the winery. It was amazing! We added some tangine-spiced lamb bites and served it for Latah Creek's 35th Anniversary Celebration. It was the hit of the weekend!

This paired perfectly with our Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, but try our Rosé of Malbec for a crisp white.