To my mind dates are underused far too much, except in the Middle East where they are revered. Their sweetness when paired with a salty ingredient like feta work so well together. This salad is a great favourite of mine, it is an excellent way to start a meal. Venere black rice is often known also as purple rice.
Love Rice is a website dedicated to all things rice, containing information on different varieties of rice, the nutritional aspects of rice, as well as tips for cooking rice to ensure perfect results every time. Love Rice also contains a wealth of delicious recipes from traditional curries and risotto to dishes more suited to special occasions such as rice-based desserts and bread.
To Serve
Place the venere rice in a small pan, add 350ml water and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, cook for 25-30 minutes until just tender.
Drain in a colander and allow to cool.
To make the dressing… Place all the ingredients, except the mint leaves, in a bowl, whisk together, add the torn mint leaves, season to taste season to taste.
To prepare the salad, place the spinach leaves in a bowl, add the dates, cooked black rice , chilli ,red onions and walnuts and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Add enough dressing and toss gently together.
Dress in a salad bowl, then grate the feta over the salad liberally then serve.