Spanish salad

The best saffron comes from Spain. The Spaniards use it lavishly in their rice and seafood dishes, giving them superb flavour and colour.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
335g	long-grain rice
1/2 teaspoon	saffron powder
or good pinch	saffron strands, crumbled
2	red peppers
120g	mixed black and green olives, pitted
200g	tinned tuna, drained and flaked
250g	medium cooked prawns, shelled and de-veined
3 rashers	bacon, rind removed, grilled until crisp then crumbled
	salt and freshly ground black pepper
	mignonette lettuce

Cook the rice in plenty of boiling salted water, with saffron, for 15 minutes. Drain. Char peppers all over under a preheated grill, place in a paper bag to steam for 10 minutes then rub off skins under cold running water. Remove skins, cores and seeds and cut into strips. Add to rice with olives, tuna, prawns and bacon. Season salad with salt and pepper while rice is still warm.
To make dressing, combine all ingredients in a screwtop jar and shake well. Pour over salad and toss. Serve cold on a bed of mignonette lettuce.

Pots of fresh basil may be bought at many greengrocers during the summer months.