On Friday I decided to take on the task of entertaining the guys in Hubby’s dotCommerce team, a great idea we thought, a nice relaxing evening and a chance for me to get to know Hubby’s colleagues. What I didn’t know was that I would come back from holiday with a horrific cold, Tunisian tummy bug and oh yeah the fact that I would be moving a in few weeks time. Now I like a challenge but this was a challenge to far, it was all I could do to get out of bed, let alone cook for two days !!!
 
I spent Thursday cleaning and making desserts, Friday more cleaning, preparing the house and garden and making the salads. By the time everyone arrived everything was perfect, I was showered and dressed and drugged up to the max on pain killers and cold remedies, which went down wonderfully with a few glasses of red wine. I had grand ideas about what I was going to cook and how I was going to decorate the house, but due to feeling so rough I played safe and stuck to recipes I knew and just chucked up a little bunting. Also lucky for me Hubby is a whizz in the kitchen and once he was home I handed over to him.
 
I must say that I totally enjoyed the evening, the guys were great and I can not wait to do it again in the new house. So here’s to dotBBQ part II and me being well so I can be a better hostess next time.
(Everything I made is already on the Blog apart from this salad and it’s gorgeous)
 

Serves 8

1 small red onion2–4 limes, depending on juiciness1.5 kg sweet, ripe watermelon250g feta cheesebunch fresh flat-leaf parsleybunch fresh mint, chopped3–4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil100g pitted black olivesblack pepper

 

Peel and halve the red onion and cut into very fine half moons and put in a small bowl to steep with the lime juice.

 

Remove the rind and pips from the watermelon, and cut into approximately 4cm triangular chunks.

Cut the feta into similar sized pieces and put them both into a large, wide shallow bowl. Tear off sprigs of parsley so that it is used like a salad leaf, rather than a garnish, and add to the bowl along with the chopped mint.

Tip the onions, along with their pink juices over the salad in the bowl; add the oil and olives, then using your hands toss the salad very gently so that the feta and melon don’t lose their shape.

Add a good grinding of black pepper and taste to see whether the dressing needs more lime.