Wild Rice Salad with Ginger and Lime Dressing (V) from COOK: Serve Up Joy

“A salad you could happily eat on its own, with its kaleidoscope of flavours and textures. The wild rice (not actually a rice, but a grain!) has a lovely nutty taste and firm texture that contrasts with the soft, sweet melon. Add in crunchy radishes and creamy feta, and give it all a boost with a bold and zesty dressing, and you have a salad that doesn’t hold back. The dressing is fabulous on any salad.” The COOK Kitchen, authors of COOK: Serve Up Joy

Serves 6-8

150g (5½oz) wild rice or wild rice mix (ready-cooked rice mixes make this very quick and easy)

100g (3½oz) radishes, sliced

100g (3½oz) feta cheese, crumbled

¼ small watermelon or cantaloupe melon, total weight 300g (10½oz),cut into small chunks

30g (1oz) dried cranberries

Juice of 1 lime

4cm (1½ inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

½ garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon honey

4 tablespoons rapeseed oil

70g (2½oz) mixed nuts and seeds, toasted

100g (3½oz) mixed salad leaves

Salt and pepper

Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Drain in a sieve and cool under cold running water. Tip the rice into a large mixing bowl. Add the radishes, feta, watermelon or melon and cranberries.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, ginger, garlic, honey and oil. Season to taste and whisk again. Pour the dressing over the wild rice salad.

Add the nuts, seeds and mixed salad leaves, then toss again. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter.