This salad makes a lovely accompaniment to spice-rubbed grilled chicken or fish – the refreshing cucumbers make the perfect counterpoint to the spices. Baby cucumbers can be left unpeeled, while white cucumbers do have a thick bitter skin, so they are best peeled. I do like to make this salad when pomegranates are in season so that I can sprinkle some seeds over the top to add some pretty colour, but it is perfect without. You can also use both red and green grapes for a little difference. I also really like this salad made with Greek feta, so use whatever feta you have to hand.
Cucumber, pistachio, grape and Persian feta salad
35g pistachios, coarsely chopped
2 white-skinned cucumbers, seeds removed, cut into 1cm pieces
1 telegraph cucumber, seeds removed, cut into 1cm pieces
250g baby cucumbers, unpeeled, diced
300g green seedless grapes, halved
1 cup (loosely packed) mint, shredded
300g Persian feta
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional), to serve
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 180C. Scatter pistachios on an oven tray and roast, shaking occasionally, until just golden (5-10 minutes), then cool, coarsely chop and set aside.
Combine cucumbers, grapes and mint in a bowl, crumble over feta, top with pistachio and pomegranate seeds, drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, season to taste and serve.
