Pear and grape salad

INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber
2 stalks lemongrass
85g (3oz) golden caster sugar
2 ripe red-skinned pears
125g (41⁄2oz) green seedless grapes
125g (41⁄2oz) red seedless grapes
small handful of mint leaves

METHOD
Trim the ends from the cucumber. Cut it in half lengthways, scoop out and discard the seeds using a teaspoon, then slice thinly. Remove any tough outer leaves from the lemongrass stalks and discard. Halve lengthways and bash with a rolling pin.
Place the lemongrass in a saucepan with the sugar and 200ml (7fl oz) water, and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the cucumber. Allow to cool.
Discard the lemongrass. Quarter the pears and discard the cores, then cut the flesh into thin wedges, and add to the syrup with the grapes. To serve, transfer to a serving dish and scatter over the mint leaves.