Fall may well and truly be in the air but there are still some beautiful tomatoes to be had in the stores before the end of September.

To turn this tasty tomato salad into something wholesome and befitting of a fall day, I like to use brown rice tossed in a delicious herby dressing made sharp and creamy by feta and olive oil.

Ingredients: Makes a large platter to serve about 10-12
For the dressing-

1/2 cup/120ml olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
large bunches of flat leaf parsley, mint, dill, tarragon and cilantro
2oz/60g feta cheese
pepper

3 cups brown rice
1 punnet (about 2 cups/400g) fresh tomatoes
a few leaves of mint
salt and pepper

Method:

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and pour in the brown rice, cook until tender- this will depend on your variety of rice but should take between 15 and 20 minutes, test a grain to be sure. Brown rice retains a more significant 'bite' than white rice, which makes it great for salads and holding dressings without becoming sticky and soggy.

Drain the rice and set aside to cool.

To make the dressing, place all of the dressing ingredients into a blender or into a jar (for easy storage if you are making more than you need or making it ahead of time) and use a stick blender to whizz into a bright green, creamy sauce.

Taste and add in additional seasoning, I've not listed salt as the feta should give enough of a salty edge to the dressing to suffice, plenty of pepper is a must though.

Chop your tomatoes, mine were babies so only required slicing in half- if you have large varieties then chunk into quarters or eighths, then season with a little salt and pepper and a few strands of finely sliced mint.

Once the rice is completely cool pour over the dressing and tumble it through the grains so that they are well coated. Layer onto a large platter and spread out, making a well in the center to pour the tomatoes into.

This is really nice alongside simple roasted chicken or stick with the Greek influence and serve with lamb kebabs or steaks.