Salads

Apple, Cucumber & Feta Salad

Cold, crisp and just about spicy. Apple and cucumber do the crunching, feta brings the salt, and a seeded jalapeño runs a low heat underneath it all that the lime and honey keep in check. Basil rather than mint, which is what stops it tasting like a fruit salad. No cooking, no dressing to make separately, and it is on the table in ten minutes.

Makes 4 as a side · Prep 15 mins · 9 ingredients · 4 steps

Ingredients

• 1 large apple (diced)
• 1 cucumber (chopped)
• 75g feta cheese (crumbled)
• 1/2 jalapeño (seeded and finely diced)
• Fresh basil (torn or chopped, to taste)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp flaky salt
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Method

1. Make the dressing. Whisk the lime juice and honey together in the bottom of a large serving bowl until the honey has loosened.
2. Chop the apple and cucumber. Dice the apple and chop the cucumber into pieces of roughly the same size, then tip both into the bowl and turn them through the dressing while you do the rest — the lime keeps the apple from browning.
3. Add the jalapeño and seasoning. Halve the jalapeño, scrape out the seeds and white pith, and dice it as finely as you can. Add it to the bowl with the flaky salt and red pepper flakes, and toss.
4. Crumble over the feta. Crumble the feta over the top, tear the basil over it, and give it one last gentle turn so the cheese stays in pieces rather than smearing.

Good to know

• A tablespoon is about what half a lime gives, so one lime covers a double batch. Bottled juice does the job but tastes flatter against the honey.
• Seeds and pith are where most of a jalapeño's heat sits — take them out and you get the flavour and a warm background rather than a burn. Leave some in if you want it to bite.
• A sharp, firm apple is the one to use: Granny Smith, Braeburn or Pink Lady. Anything soft or floury goes to mush in the dressing.
• Crumble the feta by hand rather than chopping it; the ragged pieces catch more dressing than neat cubes do.
• Add the feta and basil last and toss gently — feta breaks down quickly and will turn the whole bowl cloudy if it is stirred through early.
• Basil bruises, so tear it at the last moment. Mint or coriander both work if that is what is open.
• Best eaten within the hour. It keeps overnight but the cucumber weeps and the apple softens, so drain it and add fresh basil if you are serving it a second time.
• A handful of toasted pumpkin seeds or pistachios gives it something to chew on.