Matt Moran’s Australian Food: Coast and Country has a wonderful salad which is great for summer. His Watermelon and Pomegranate Salad with Whipped Feta is refreshing combination (page 26). Imagine the sweetness of watermelon and the savoury flavour of feta together – delicious. It’s a bit tedious to get the pomegranate seeds out but I read somewhere that if you press the pomegranate on a surface and roll it can help loosen and make it easier to extract. I can definitely recommend this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1kg seedless watermelon, peel and cut into chunks
• 40g toasted almonds, coarsley chopped
• seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
• 1 small french shallot
• 35g wild rocket
• 1 large handful mint leaves
• 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
• 1/2 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• sumac, for dusting

Whipped feta:

• 150g feta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 small garlic clove

Directions:

To make the whipped feta, blend the ingredients in a blender or small food processor until smooth, season to taste and spread over a serving platter.

Arrange the watermelon over the whipped feta and scatter with the almonds, pomegranate and shallot, then with the rocket and mint leaves.

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest, juice and garlic in a bowl to combine, season to taste and drizzle over the salad. Scatter with sumac and serve.

*We cook barramundi fillets with our salad