Watermelon salad

Sicilian salad

Name: Sicilian salad
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 4-6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 small watermelon; 2 small heads red chicory stalks trimmed, leaves separated and large ones halved; 50ml moscatel vinegar or white balsamic; 65g pistachios (preferably green Iranian); 150g aged pecorino (such as sardo, or a good aged parmesan) cut into irregular shards; 70ml groundnut oil; a handful fennel fronds, fennel herb or dill

Published: September 22, 2020 at 3:09 PM

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Serves 4-6

Easy

Total time: 30 mins

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This watermelon, chicory and salty pecorino salad with toasted pistachios and fennel herb is typical of the way Sicilians put things together, with seasonal produce at its best

Gluten free

Healthy

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Alternatives

Complete the dish

Try this Sicilian salad, then check out our Greek salad, niçoise salad, goat's cheese salad, grilled halloumi salad and caprese salad.

Looking for more Sicilian-inspired recipes? Try our Sicilian pasta with cauliflower, Sicilian caponata, Sicilian aubergine pizzas and calf's liver with pancetta and rosemary. Also discover 10 things we love about Sicilian cuisine.

This Sicilian salad recipe comes from Norma, the first restaurant project from the Stafford London hotel and culinary director Ben Tish. Ben says: "Watermelons are the perfect food for a hot day – fresh, juicy, vibrant and cooling. They are nature’s antidote to the sweltering heat. This salad is one of my favourites. It transports me straight back to long summer lunches both in Sicily and at home."

Ingredients

Nutrition

1 small watermelon
2 small heads red chicory

stalks trimmed, leaves separated and large ones halved
50ml moscatel vinegar or white balsamic
65g pistachios (preferably green Iranian)
150g aged pecorino (such as sardo, or a good aged parmesan)

cut into irregular shards
70ml groundnut oil
a handful fennel fronds, fennel herb or dill

Nutrition: per serving

kcal435

low
fat25.2g
saturates7.9g
carbs39.1g
sugars37.3g
fibre2.3g
protein11.6g
salt0.6g

Method

step 1

Cut the melon in half through the width and reserve half for another use. Peel the other half of skin and the white pith, and then dice the flesh into 2cm pieces and put in a bowl along with the chicory leaves, season with salt and pepper, and mix in the vinegar.
step 2

Put a frying pan over a medium heat and toss in the pistachios, dry cooking for a few minutes, tossing, until they are fragrant and have started to release their oil. Season liberally with salt, roughly chop and mix into the watermelon.
step 3

Fold in the pecorino and add the groundnut oil and fennel fronds. Briefly mix again and arrange so you can see all the elements. Serve.

Head here for more ways with watermelon

Halloumi and watermelon salad

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