Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad

Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad

My Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad is a very simple summer salad I like to make for my family and friends. It is perfect to bring to barbecues or simple get-togethers because it is such a great side dish which goes well with any meat or vegetables. Additionally, this is a great salad to impress the other guests. 
I love to use feta cheese in this salad because the salt and creamy texture of the feta cheese just seems to be the perfect pairing with the sweet watermelon. Feel free to choose your own favorite type of cheese but feta is my personal favorite. For example, friends of mine make this kind of salad with goat cheese, and I must say, it tastes absolutely wonderful. 
Another favorite addition to my salad is mint. I just love the taste of mint paired with the watermelon. When I choose to make this type of salad without arugula and balsamic, I usually use plenty of mint. This gives the salad a fresh summer feel and taste. When I started to make the Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad on the regular, I re-introduced the mint because I love the way my other salad tasted before. However, I noticed that not everyone agrees with this kind of taste. I heard for people which really like it, and others which cannot stand it. For this reason, I made the mint an optional ingredient. 
When I make this salad at home I like to make croutons out of a long piece of bread brushed with olive oil, and pressed in a panini press. I then serve my hot meat on top of this crouton which I place on the side of the salad. This gives the salad a great look as well as prevents the warm meat from wilting the arugula. However, this salad is great all on its own and can be served by itself as well. 
Secret tip: If you have balsamic reduction left from making your salad, it goes well with vanilla ice cream, strawberries, or raspberries. My family always waits for the leftover sauce after I make this type of salad.

,Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad
Yields: 8 servings
Balsamic Reduction:
Balsamic vinegar            1/2 cup
Brown sugar                   1/4 cup
Salad: 
Baby arugula                   5 oz. 1 package
Seedless watermelon    8 cups, cubed
Feta cheese                     7 oz. 1 package, crumbled
mint(optional)                 1/4 cup, chopped
crushed pepper              to taste
Balsamic Reduction:
To make the balsamic reduction, place the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat until it simmers and let it simmer for 6-8 minutes. Once it has reduced, remove it from the heat and let it cool. 
Salad:
Arrange arugula over a plate or large platter. Scatter watermelon, feta, and mint over the arugula. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and sprinkle with pepper. Enjoy!