Simple Dinners 07 / Prawn and Watermelon Panzanella

prawn watermelon panzanella

An Australian Christmas is a magical thing. 

There’s usually seafood, salads and pavlova topped with lots of summer fruit. With some luck it’s warm and sunny, and lunch is usually followed by a dip in the pool… unless you opt for a nap on the couch instead. I really can’t imagine Christmas any other way.

If you’re looking for a last minute Christmas salad or side dish or even a quick summer dinner, this is it. Ticking all the boxes – seasonal, delicious, pretty on the plate and a little bit unique, this Prawn and Watermelon Panzanella combines some seriously awesome flavours in the one dish. From start to finish, the whole thing took less than 15 minutes and can even be made on the BBQ.

A traditional panzanella is a great way to use in-season tomatoes and day old bread, making it a fantastic summer meal. But I took it a step further, because I love watermelon, feta and mint together. And to make it a little more substantial as a meal, I added some beautiful pan-fried prawns, but you could add grilled chicken or thinly sliced rare beef or lamb instead, or leave out the meat entirely for a yummy vegetarian dish!

I wish all of my readers a wonderful, relaxing Christmas. I hope you enjoy lots of great food and good times with your family and friends. Thank you so much for all of your support this year, and I’m very excited about what 2014 will bring! I’ll be back next week sharing some of my favourite posts of the year xx

prawn watermelon panzanella

Prawn and Watermelon Panzanella
Serves 2 as a meal, 4-6 as a side dish

  • 3 thick slices of sourdough
  • 300g green prawn cutlets, cleaned and deveined
  • 1/2 large watermelon, cut into 3cm cubes
  • 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, cut in half (I used different coloured tomatoes)
  • 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
  • Fresh mint and coriander, roughly chopped
  • Good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and cracked black pepper
  • Good quality feta cheese
Rip the sourdough into small chunks and place in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and mix with your hand to ensure the bread is evenly covered. Heat a frying pan or BBQ plate and toast the bread until golden and crispy, turning until all sides are evenly toasted.
Cook prawns with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper in a hot frypan or on a BBQ plate for about five minutes, turning occasionally until they turn orange. 
In the meantime, place watermelon, tomatoes and sliced onion into a large serving bowl. Add mint, coriander, toasted bread and cooked prawns. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Crumble feta over the top and serve immediately.

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