Watermelon Salad With Chervil

Chervil Ingredients

1 7-8 lb. seedless watermelon (halved), chilled
or 4 small seedless watermelons (Such as Dulcinea)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 limes, juiced
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup fresh chopped chervil leaves
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese (goat or sheep milk feta is best)
Sprigs of chervil for garnish (or mint if you prefer)

NOTE: Chervil looks similar to parsley but has a unique flavor all its own. There is a slight aroma of anise and a faint taste that resembles mint and anise or maybe even a bit of tarragon and parsley thrown in. None of the aromas or tastes are overwhelming. In this salad the addition of chervil is extremely satisfying to the palate as it cuts the possible overwhelming strength of any of the other ingredients.

Cut your watermelon(s) in half and prepare them as bowls or simply prepare your salad and plate in a service bowl as follows:

Cutting your watermelon (Regular bowls)

1)To begin preparation for regular bowls remove the rind and cube the meat into 1 inch cubes.
2) Drain in a colander

Preparing watermelon bowls

1) Cut the watermelon(s) in half
2) Remove the flesh using a melon baller
3) Cut zigzags in the rind (After making the first triangle cut use it as a guide for the rest of the cuts for uniformity. (see image)

Cut rind from the watermelon, and chop the fruit into 1 inch chunks or use a melon baller. Place chunks or melon balls in a colander to drain as you chop. Allow the flesh to drain for at least 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt, and black pepper to create a dressing.

Place watermelon in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing and chopped chervil over the watermelon and toss gently to coat.

Pour the crumbled feta into the salad bowl and stir gently to integrate the cheese into the salad. Serve in the salad bowl adding a sprig of mint or a few sprigs of chervil as a garnish.

OR

Scoop the completed salad into prepared watermelon bowls and add a sprig of mint or chervil to each bowl as a garnish.