This cool and very summery salad overflows with melon and basil flavours and aromas. It's perfect with baguette and basil butter.
Materials
One iceberg lettuce
One small melon, cleaned and cut into balls
250g diced feta cheese
2 tsp. tablespoon lime juice
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
zest of 1 lime
1 cup fresh basil, chopped, and a few leaves for garnish
1 tsp. of black sesame
salt and freshly ground green pepper
One whole wheat baguette cut into 4
For the basil butter
250g butter at room temperature
½ cup chopped basil
Two cloves of garlic, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
Procedure
Step 1
First, prepare the basil butter. In a small bowl, mix the butter, garlic, and basil. Add salt and freshly ground pepper and mix again. Spread the mixture on transparent film, giving it a cylindrical shape of 3-4 centimetres in diameter. Fold it with the film. Close its edges well and put the cylinder in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Step 2
To prepare the salad, cut the lettuce into thick pieces with your hands and add the basil. In a bowl, beat the olive oil with the lime juice, salt, pepper, and black sesame, and pour over the salad over the bowl.
Step 3
Mix lightly and serve on four plates. Divide the feta and melon over the lettuce and garnish with basil leaves, black pepper and lime zest.
Step 4
Before serving the salad, cut the baguette into thin slices (without splitting them) and put a stick of butter between each slice. Heat the baguette a little in the oven (do not melt the butter completely) and accompany the salad.
Photography: Georgios Dracopoulos, Food Styling: Tina Webb
READ MORE: Baked lemon cream by Stelios Parliaros.