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!
This recipe contains watermelon, peppers (jalapeno), mint (fresh), basil, salt (sea), limes, fish (mahi mahi), olive oil (extra virgin), salt (sea), black pepper, paprika
serves 4 servings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients:
- 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
Instructions:
- 1. 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.
- 2. 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.
- 3. 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.
- 4. *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.