Prepare the Cucumber: Dice your cucumber and place it in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and toss gently. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. The salt will draw out excess water, keeping your salad crisp.

Rinse the Cucumber: After 15 minutes, you'll see a surprising amount of water in the bowl. Give the cucumber a quick rinse under cold water to remove the excess salt, then pat it thoroughly dry with a clean tea towel or paper towels. This step is crucial!

Prepare the Remaining Vegetables: While the cucumber is salting, halve your cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, and chop your fresh parsley and mint.

Make the Vinaigrette: I find that making the dressing in a jam jar is the tidiest and most effective way to combine it. Add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to a small jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds, or until the dressing is emulsified and looks creamy.

Combine the Salad Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the drained chickpeas, the patted-dry cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and chopped herbs.

Dress and Toss: Pour about three-quarters of the vinaigrette over the salad. Toss everything together gently with salad servers until well-combined. Have a taste and add more dressing if you feel it needs it.

Add the Feta: Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese at the very end. This prevents it from breaking down too much and turning the salad mushy.

Serve Immediately: For the best texture, serve the salad straight away. If you like, you can let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld a little more.