Greek lemon rice salad

You’ll get a taste of the med with this easy rice salad. Ready in 25 minutes, it’s loaded with feta, olives and tomatoes, plus rice to soak up that deliciously zesty lemon dressing.

Ingredients

150g (2⁄3 cup) medium-grain white rice
11⁄2 tbsp finely chopped fresh continental parsley leaves
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
80g (1⁄2 cup) pitted kalamata olives
200g Greek feta, coarsely chopped
60g packet baby spinach
1 large green capsicum, deseeded, thinly sliced
200g small tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 small red onion, halved, very thinly sliced
250g packet qukes (baby cucumbers), coarsely chopped
Lemon dressing
100ml extra virgin olive oil
60ml (1⁄4 cup) fresh lemon juice
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1⁄2 tsp dried oregano leaves

Method

1.To make the lemon dressing, place all the dressing ingredients in a jar and seal tightly. Shake until combined then season.
2.Cook rice in a saucepan of boiling water for 8 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool slightly, tossing with a large metal spoon to release the heat.
3.Add parsley and lemon rind to rice. Toss.
4.Arrange the rice mixture down the centre of a 36cm oval platter. Arrange the olives, feta, spinach, capsicum, tomato, onion and quke in rows on either side of rice mixture.
5.Drizzle two-thirds of the lemon dressing over the salad and toss until combined. Divide among serving plates, season and serve with the remaining lemon dressing on the side.