Salad of grilled treviso, watermelon and smoked cheese
I adore this colourful, rustic salad, which is bursting with flavours. There is a hint of bitterness from the treviso (the long-leafed variety of radicchio), sweetness from the watermelon and a mild sharpness from the red onion. Balsamic vinegar, mingled with honey and fruity olive oil, bring it all together. Other smoked cheeses can be used in place of Scamorza, such as Calumet, Golden Rebel or smoked Gouda.
SERVES 4
2 treviso (or ordinary radicchio)
300g piece of ripe, firm-fleshed watermelon
1 large red onion, halved lengthways and cut into thick wedges
100ml light, fruity olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
120g smoked Scamorza cheese, cut into 4 slices about 1cm thick
2 tbsp clear honey
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges, to serve
Remove the outermost 2 or 3 leaves from each treviso (or other radicchio), then halve lengthways and cut each half into 2 or 3 long wedges. Rinse in cold water, without separating out the leaves. Drain and dry well.
Deseed the watermelon and cut away the hard peel and white part next to the skin. Cut the watermelon into 4 large pieces.
Preheat a large griddle pan (or barbecue).
Brush the pieces of watermelon, onion and treviso with a little olive oil. Lightly oil the ridges of the griddle pan (or barbecue grid).
Arrange the watermelon, onion and treviso in the pan (or on the barbecue). Leave for about 30 seconds, then give each piece a quarter-turn and cook for another 30 seconds. Now flip them all over and repeat as for the first side, leaving the treviso for an extra 30 seconds.
Transfer the watermelon, onion and treviso to a large, shallow serving dish and toss gently to combine. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the treviso, followed by the balsamic vinegar, sprinkling a few drops of vinegar over the watermelon as well. Add a light sprinkling of salt and a generous grinding of pepper to the salad.
Grill the smoked cheese for 30–45 seconds in the griddle pan or on the barbecue, then add to the salad. Immediately drizzle the honey over everything. Serve at once, with the lemon wedges on the side.