I love cucumbers. Full stop. People profess their love to many types of foods, saying they could eat them everyday and never get bored. I actually do; everyday, I’ll eat at least one whole cucumber, sprinkled with just salt and pepper, or dipped in hummus, or chopped up in salad. Tiny Persian cucumbers, large English cucumbers, plain pickling cucumbers- I love them all.

Why hasn’t this obvious obsession factored more clearly into my writing or recipes? It’s not interesting, quite frankly. I’m not doing anything exciting with them, just eating them in mass quantities. Even this idea that I’m here sharing today is far from earth-shaking. Barley the tiniest twist on a time-honored classic, surely it’s been done before. However, it’s good enough that it bears repeating: Make shirazi salad while summer produce is at its peak, but replace the tomatoes with watermelon.

That’s it, that’s the whole recipe. Adding a whole recipe card with formal measurements is really overkill when so much of the dish is based on the produce itself and personal taste. If I can be honest and break down that fourth wall for a minute, the recipe card is for Google. For you, I trust you can figure it out.

Consider the chopping an opportunity to practice your knife skills, to meditate, or simply revel in the aroma of summer. The minute you slice into a cucumber or watermelon, that aroma floods the air, setting the mood like candles for a romantic evening, only with notes of whimsy, sunshine, and a cooling breeze.

To anyone complaining about the amount of liquid leftover at the bottom of the bowl: Congratulations! You completely missed the point. That heavenly elixir, my friend, is a beautiful meeting of the worlds, the best parts of fruits and vegetables, sweet and savory, existing in harmony as one. Don’t you dare dump it out. When you pick up the mostly empty bowl, the only option is to bring it to your lips and drink every last drop.

Yield: Makes 4 - 8 Servings

Watermelon Shirazi Salad

If you like cucumbers, this simple, seasonal salad is for you. Shirazi salad typically features tomatoes, but this one has watermelon for a sweet and savory, super refreshing twist!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Large Cucumbers
• 1 - 1 1/2 Pounds Watermelon
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 1 Lemon
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil and/or Mint
• 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

1. Finely dice the cucumbers, watermelon, and onion so that all the pieces are approximately the same size. Place everything in a large bowl.
2. Juice the lemon directly into the mixing bowl and add the oil, dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
3. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to one hour.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  La Tourangelle, 100% Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 25.4 fl oz (750 ml)
• 
  Simply Organic, Black Pepper, 2.31 oz (65 g)
• 
  Celtic Sea Salt, Fine Ground, Vital Mineral Blend, 1 lb (454 g)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 75Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 202mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 1g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

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