Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under cold water for a good 30 seconds. The grains can carry a bitter coating (saponin), and rinsing removes whatever is left.

Put the quinoa in a pan with the water and a good pinch of salt, bring to the boil, then cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the water is absorbed and each grain shows a little white tail. Leave it off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes and fork it through.

Squeeze the lemons and crush the garlic. Whisk the lemon juice, the olive oil, the garlic, salt and freshly ground pepper.

Pour half the dressing over the quinoa while it is still warm and stir it through. Warm grains absorb dressing; cold ones just get coated.

Let it cool to room temperature. Meanwhile deseed and dice the cucumber, halve the tomatoes, finely dice the red onion, stone and halve the olives and chop the parsley and mint. Fold the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, parsley and mint into the quinoa with the rest of the dressing.

Crumble the feta and scatter it over at the end rather than mixing it in, so it stays in pieces.