Spicy Watermelon Salad with Grilled Mahi Mahi

Watermelon is one of those perfect summer ingredients.  Sweet, cold and crunchy: but also perfect as a savory dish by adding salt, chilies, salty cheese, herbs, olives, etc.  I love to make watermelon salads and pair with grilled fish for an easy, breezy, quick and (if the fish is grilled outside on a barbecue) oven free meal.  This recipe is one of my favorites.

You can use any type of firm white fish but I really like Mahi Mahi with the watermelon. Feel free to adjust the measurements for any of the ingredients...more or less herbs, seasonings or chile...the salad is very forgiving.  If I were serving with grilled chicken, I would probably throw in some feta cheese. I sometimes use cilantro too.  Like I said...very forgiving.  Enjoy!

Spicy Watermelon Salad with Grilled Mahi Mahi
(serves 4)
8 cups cubed watermelon, seeded
1-2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chiffonade*
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade*
pinch sea salt
juice from 1 lime
2 lbs fresh mahi mahi (each piece about 1 inch thick)
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp paprika

Add watermelon, jalapeno, mint and basil to large bowl. Sprinkle sea salt over salad and toss. Sprinkle lime juice over salad and toss.  Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Drizzle approximately 2 tbsp olive oil over mahi mahi.  Season each side with sea salt, pepper and paprika.  Heat a grill to medium high heat or use a grill pan indoors. Place fish skin side down on grill and cook for 4 minutes. Flip and drizzle with olive oil. Cook an additional 5-8 minutes or until flesh turns white and begins to flake. Remove from grill and allow to sit for 1 minute.

Place fish on serving platter or individual plates.  Spoon some of the watermelon juice from salad over fish. Mound watermelon cubes over fish and serve immediately. 

*for chiffonade:  stack the herb leaves on top of each other and tightly roll up lengthwise into a cylinder. starting at one end, cut the cylinder into very narrow slices.  after cutting, fluff herbs with fingers to create individual ribbons.

It is "watermelon" week at Food Network's summerfest roundup. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends. Do you have a favorite watermelon recipe?  Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one:
Dishing: Watermelon Agua Fresca
The Sensitive Epicure: Watermelon with Feta, Mint, Olive Oil and Sea Salt
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Watermelon Popsicles with Mint, Basil and Lime
Red or Green: Spicy Watermelon Salad with Grilled Mahi Mahi
Weelicious: Watermelon Cinnamon Granita
Taste With The Eyes: Watermelon Carpaccio, Blistered Shishito, Mitsuba and Lime
Dishin & Dishes: Summer Mixed Melon Nachos with Mascarpone Cream 
Domesticate Me: Sparkling Watermelon Punch & Bowl 
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Sweet and Salty Greek Watermelon Feta Mint Salad
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Watermelon Vodka Rickey
Devour: Savory Watermelon Recipes
FN Dish: Cool Watermelon Drinks
Made by Michelle: Watermelon Basil Lemonade

My best,

Diane

red or green 

california girl in taos

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