Feta, Watermelon, Basil and Mint Salad

The perfect blast as a summer starter, looking just amazing in its 'sarcophage' and tasting superb too. It is a simple dish (all the best are after all), so you need matchless quality ingredients, no skimping whatsoever. Take care over the presentation and do not combine the salad ingredients until 30 minutes before serving at most, or it will lose its freshness

Ingredients (Serves 8)

1 large seedless watermelon
200g Greek Feta Cheese
Small bunch of mint, Italian and Asian Basil, absolutely fresh.
1 tsp pink peppercorns
2 tbsp red onion, sliced very finely.
1 small cucumber, skinned and seeded
6 tbsp basil olive oil (buy this, your own will not taste as good as the basil flavour will oxidise)
1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, dash Tabasco, pinch sugar
Balsamic reduction

Method:

Prepare the watermelon sarcophagi in advance; cut the watermelon in half and then into quarters. Cut off the rind to make 8 rectangles, one from each quarter. Reserve all the cut off flesh for snacking. With a sharp knife cut down about 1 inch into the watermelon rectangle at eh the top leavuing a border and take out the centre. Chill all of the rectangles in the fridge (this can be done up to 24 hours in advance, wrapping them in cling film). Cut about 1/4 of the flesh into neat cubes the size of croutons, reserve. Cut the cucumber into squares the same size, mix an equal volume with the watermelon. Rinse the Feta under a cold running tap, dry and cut into cubes of equal size, reserve. Pick through the herbs to take out any tough stalks or damaged bits, reserving some nice leaves for garnish. (This can all be completed in advance up to this point)

No more than 30 minutes before serving, snip the herbs lightly and combine all the ingredients except the sarcophagi in a bowl. Taste for seasoning; it should be lively, fresh and zingy with a good balance of sweetness and salt and a warmth of chilli. Add lemon juice or sugar if necessary. Chill for a few minutes.

Place the watermelon sarcophagi on the plates, spoon the salad into the hollowed out part, garnish with the reserved leaves and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.