Watermelon Arugula Salad

One of our favorite restaurants in Nashville is Caffe Nonna in the Sylvan Park neighborhood. It's a cozy, Nashville original with delicious Italian food. We had their salad special one night, made with local ingredients and the sweetest watermelon ever! I came home and put my spin on it. It's so pretty on the plate and a refreshing way to enjoy summer's sweetest sensation.

Ingredients:

4 loosely packed cups baby arugula leaves, ends trimmed

4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

4 teaspoons chopped fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

1 small watermelon, about 25 inches in diameter, chilled

Olive oil

Balsamic Glaze (recipe below)

Directions:

Place one cup arugula on each of four salad plates. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon feta and 1 teaspoon mint on each and top each with a handful of toasted walnuts. Drizzle salad with a little olive oil.

Sliced watermelon in half. Cut four slices, about 1-inch thick. Quarter each slice into four equal wedge- shaped pieces and place all four pieces on top of salad on each plate, with points facing inward to form a pinwheel. Drizzle entire plate with balsamic glaze.

For Balsamic Glaze:

Ingredients:

1 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Pour balsamic vinegar into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes or until vinegar has reduced down to a syrupy consistency. Cool before serving. Vinegar it will thicken more as it cools. Store in the refrigerator.

Nan's Notes: You can always buy balsamic glaze in the grocery store, but if you want to save on your grocery bill and you don't mind the pungent odor in your house while it's cooking, make your own!