This is a delightful spring and summer salad which makes a perfect al fresco lunch, especially when paired with an intense, vibrant and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc.

Feel free to add any other vegetables such as blanched asparagus, broccoli florets, or cauliflower… whatever you like really! Including some crumbled Feta would also work well, adding extra little bursts of flavour throughout. As it is, this will make for a great vegan dish that everyone will enjoy. For extra protein, why not add cooked quinoa?

Ingredients (feeds 4 generously as a main course)

250g bulgur wheat
1 cucumber, split lengthways and seeds scooped out with a teaspoon
1 large red pepper diced into roughly 1/2 cm pieces
100g frozen peas
50g finely diced red onion
A handful of finely sliced mint leaves
1 small bunch of roughly chopped flat parsley (including stalks)
1 medium courgette in 1/2 cm dice
1 small tin sweetcorn
120ml extra virgin olive oil
4 or 5 tbsp lemon juice
5 medium tomatoes, de-seeded and roughly diced

Method

Step 1. Cook the bulgur wheat in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes. It should be tender, yet with a little bite.

Step 2. One minute before end of cooking, throw in the peas.

Step 3. After one minute, drain and refresh under cold running water in a sieve until cold. Allow to drain.

Step 4. Place in a bowl with remaining ingredients apart from the oil and lemon juice.

Step 5. Mix thoroughly and dress with olive oil. Season with salt and add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. It’s always a good idea to check the seasoning is right by having a spoonful of the salad followed by a slurp of Sauvignon Blanc… a small reward for making lunch, you know, cook’s privilege!

To save a bit of time you can make this in advance, just remember to take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before serving.