Pea, Green Bean and Quinoa Salad

Easy to make, evocative of lazy languorous summer lunches al fresco. The salad ingredients can vary according to taste or just what you happen to have in your refrigerator. Rocket can be exchanged for baby spinach leaves and tomatoes for a diced red pepper. This is a recipe that can be a springboard for your creative imaginings.

For the Pesto Dressing:

2 teaspoons of green basil pesto, the same again of olive oil and lemon juice, add cracked black pepper in a screw top jar and shake until emulsified.

To make the salad you need:

340 g tricolour quinoa 200 g baby plum tomatoes cut in half length ways 70g wild rocket 1/2 a cucumber sliced very thinly 1 red onion thinly sliced 200g of dwarf green beans topped and tailed A handful of frozen peas (fresh if you have them) 2 tsp of mixed seeds; sunflower, sesame, linseed etc. (optional)

1. Rinse the quinoa under cool water, then combine with 475 ml of water and 1/2 a teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. You can use a good vegetable stock if you prefer as it adds more flavour. Bring to a rapid simmer, then turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the quinoa is fluffy and chewy, about 20 minutes. 2. At the same time steam your peas and green beans in a double steam pan (approx 20 minutes). 3. Allow the quinoa, peas and green beans to cool before assembling the salad. 4. In a large bowl, add the onions, cucumber, tomatoes and rocket. Add the cooled quinoa and toss, sprinkle the peas and green beans on top and dress with the mixed seeds if using and then drizzle liberally with the pesto dressing.

Serve al fresco, in dappled sunlight with a large chilled glass of white wine to hand. Consider lazily pottering about in the garden after lunch, but think better of it.