Grilled Watermelon Salad with Roasted Figs

Description:

Grilling and roasting fruit develops caramel flavors. Adding a small amount of intensely flavored, hard cheese like ricotta and a bit of sea salt heightens these caramel flavors, making a fresh fruit salad seem like a decadent dessert.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds watermelon, peeled
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 limes, zested and then juiced
• 7 fresh figs
• 2 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 ounces baby greens
• 2 tablespoons fig or maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill and the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut the watermelon into small triangles.  Brush with olive oil and chill.
3. Zest and juice the lime and set aside 1 tablespoon of juice for dressing the greens.
4. Cut the figs in half and place cut side up on a sheet pan. Brush with olive oil.  Roast until they are soft around 10 minutes.
5. Grate the ricotta on a small grater and set aside in the refrigerator.
6. Drizzle the plates with a little fig or maple syrup. Grill the watermelon triangles by marking each side for about 45 second, repeat until you have cross hatch marks on either side. Place two pieces of watermelon over the fig or maple syrup and arrange decoratively. Drizzle each plate with lime juice and sprinkle with a little zest.
7. Place the baby greens in a small bowl and add the lime juice.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat. Place a small mound on each of the six plated watermelons; sprinkle with ricotta.

Nutrition Facts (1 serving)

Calories 230, 28 g carbs, 7 g total fat (mono) 8 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 345 mg sodium