Name: Rice salad with peas, mint, zucchini, lemon and pine nuts
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 150 gm (¾ cup) arborio rice; 2 small zucchini, cut into 5mm dice; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, juice of ½; 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 120 gm (¾ cup) frozen peas, defrosted; 1 tbsp each chopped mint, tarragon and parsley; 50 gm (⅓ cup) pine nuts, roasted; 50 gm finely grated ricotta salata or pecorino, to serve

This summery salad can be served warm, but it’s lovely chilled for half an hour, especially on a hot day. Taste it before serving, it may need a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt at the end.

Ingredients

150 gm (¾ cup) arborio rice

2 small zucchini, cut into 5mm dice

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, juice of ½

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

120 gm (¾ cup) frozen peas, defrosted

1 tbsp each chopped mint, tarragon and parsley

50 gm (⅓ cup) pine nuts, roasted

50 gm finely grated ricotta salata or pecorino, to serve

Method

1.Boil rice in a saucepan of salted water until just cooked (9-10 minutes). Drain, then leave for 5 minutes to cool.

2.Blanch zucchini in salted water until just softened (1 minute), then drain.

3.Transfer rice to a bowl and dress with vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil, and season to taste with sea salt. Add peas, herbs, pine nuts, zucchini and lemon zest, toss to combine, and serve topped with ricotta salata.

Brigitte Hafner

Styling by Geraldine Muñoz