Labneh with watermelon, honey & mint

Ingredients

For the labneh

• 900g thick Greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp salt

For the salad

• About 800g watermelon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ orange
• 1 tsp wild sumac
• 2 tbsp wild thyme honey
• A handful of mint

Method

Mix the yoghurt and salt, then spoon into a sieve lined with a double layer of muslin (cheesecloth). Tie its ends together and sit in the sieve in the fridge over a bowl for 6-12 hours to strain. The longer you leave it, the thicker your labneh will be.

When ready, spoon the labneh into a large serving bowl.

Trim the ends of the watermelon and cut the fruit into triangles about 1cm thick. Mix the olive oil with the juice from the orange, half the sumac and a good pinch of salt. Get a griddle pan (or barbecue) good and hot, brush the watermelon pieces with the dressing and sit the pieces in a single layer in the pan (or on the grill). If using a griddle pan you will probably need to do this in two batches. Turn them over after a couple of minutes, when nicely charred underneath. Let the other side char, then lift the slices out to cool.

Add any juices from the pan to your leftover oil, orange and sumac dressing. Whisk in the honey and the rest of the sumac. Add more salt.

Sit the watermelon pieces on the labneh and pour over the dressing. Chop the mint and scatter over, then finish with a grinding of black pepper.

Image: Kim Lightbody

Recipe from Borough Market: The Knowledge with Angela Clutton (Hodder & Stoughton 2022)