If you look around, you’ll see that a few folks are starting to talk about grilled watermelon burgers and how amazing they are. And we have to agree! However, you should know some things. First, these are not hamburgers. They are amazing sandwiches, but there’s no reason to compare them to meat.
Next, a few folks whine about not wanting sweet sandwiches that make their bun soggy. Here’s our advice: put your grill where your mouth is, heathens! If you’re afraid to try a sandwich, just grill some watermelon the next time you fire up the grill and see what you think.
The reality, though, is that the heat of the grill and a little salt will dry out the watermelon and give it a nice texture. Combine that with the savory and saltiness of garlic and goat cheese, and any sweetness from the watermelon fades into the background. Just be sure that you don’t rush it on the grill!
Ingredients
4 – watermelon steaks, approx. 1 inch thick
4 – ciabatta buns (or your favorite)
1 fennel, fronds diced
1 medium orange
2 large cloves garlic, diced
2 tbsp white vinegar
¼ tsp salt
olive oil
goat cheese
cracked pepper to taste
Preparation
Cut watermelon steaks to roughly the size of the bun, sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside.
In a bowl, combine finely diced fennel, zest from orange, garlic, vinegar and salt.
Cut orange in half, and rub orange flesh with a paper towel and olive oil. Grill face down for about 2 minutes, until grilled. Squeeze juice into bowl with fennel and other ingredients.
Wipe grill down with olive oil and grill watermelon steaks, approximately 4-5 minutes per side. Watermelon should have grill marks, dry out and caramelize.
Top with goat cheese, and grill for another minute to melt cheese.
Rub buns with olive oil and grill oil side down for a minute.
Serve with fennel mix on top and cracked pepper, to taste.
The Vegan Trough 