The perfect summertime meal.
When planning a barbecue, try creating some Mediterranean-inspired dishes to complete the perfect summertime meal
Breathe in the warm, sea salt-scented air, imagine the robust fragrances of fruity olive oil, sun drenched herbs, citrus and fruits.
These simple ingredients, made perfectly simply from the Mediterranean climate, make for welcome accompaniments to your backyard meals.
As we slowly begin to come together once again this summer, it’ll be important to spend as much time with the people in our bubbles as possible. The salads of the Mediterranean are simple to prepare and are versatile to pair well with a myriad of eats coming off of the grill.
Feta and watermelon work well as the salinity of the feta cuts into the juicy sweetness of the watermelon. This is one of my favourite summer salads. During the hottest weeks of the summer, I almost exclusively eat watermelon. Sometimes, I like to squeeze a little bit of fresh lime juice and a sprinkling of sea salt over a bowl of cubed watermelon; it is one of the easiest salads you can make with such a rewarding flavour payoff. This salad goes well with grilled chicken or pork; think Greek souvlaki.
For the uninitiated into the cuisine of the Mediterranean, lentils are a popular staple that is utilized in various preparations. Lentils are a legume boasting high levels of iron, polyphenols, magnesium and folic acid.
While the nutritional boons of lentils are inviting, lentils are also very affordable, especially when you purchase them dried. This lentil salad is best made the day before you plan to eat; let those flavours intertwine for ultimate gastronomic pleasure. I especially love pairing this salad with grilled seafood like salmon, halibut or any shellfish, but shrimp would be my top pick.