Debut: Bulgur Obsession

2011-02-25T07:17:00.000-08:00

Recently, I have rekindled my obsession with bulgur - I eat it EVERY DAY! Bulgur and I went way back (about 7 years ago) when I had a superb bowlful of tabbouleh at Jerusalem Garden on Liberty and 4th (or 3rd?) in Ann Arbor. Our romance went on/off for a few years - the breaks were mainly instigated by my very limited repertoire on how to cook bulgur, i.e. my one-hit-wonder tabbouleh recipe (one can only have so much tabbouleh). Novelty soon fizzled out and bulgur left my pantry for a few years.

I only thought of bulgur again when I recently decided to embark on a healthnut-wannabe reform in my family's diet. My #1 priority is to nix the simple sugary carbs and introduce more complex varieties. Brown rice, red rice, and wholewheat pastas replace the traditional staples, and the wholegrain goodness that filled my pantry reminds me of my old friend bulgur. Compared to unenriched white rice, bulgur has more fiber and protein, a lower glycemic index, and higher levels of most vitamins and minerals. What more can a healthnut wannabe ask for? But something pulled me back. The ennui of eating tabbouleh every day for lunch brought back haunting memories of an, touche', "unhealthy" relationship from the past. But I'm not the naive 20-something-year-old girl anymore. Older and wiser now, I set my mind to make things work this time around. I took a quick scan in my fridge, picked out a few favorite ingredients, and came up with this:

Rocket and bulgur salad with kalamata olives, oranges, and baked ricotta

I'm quite proud of myself with the baked ricotta, and yeah, I would very much like to think of myself as some domestic goddess who cures olives and takes great lengths to bake ricotta just to have a fancy lunch. But no, I am a harried mother in reality. I just happened to have baked ricotta leftover from dinner the night before, so, please don't be stress by that singularly hauty ingredient in this recipe. Feel free to substitute with feta, ricotta salata, or any crumbly cheese you have on hand and it will be just as delish.

So, for the records (and in case my diminishing brain cells can't hold this random creation to memory), here is the recipe:

For the dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 shallots, sliced thinly

1/4 cup orange juice

zest of one small orange

a splash of white wine vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

1 cup bulgur

4 cups of rocket/arugula, washed and dried

1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves

1/2 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped

1/4 cup of baked ricotta, feta, or ricotta salata, crumbled

2 medium naval oranges, with stringy piths removed and cut into wedges

To make the dressing:

1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in skillet. Add shallots and cook until translucent. Remove from heat and place in a heat-proof measuring cup or dressing boat.

2. Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the shallot-infused oil and whisk until blended. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To make the salad:

1. Bring 1 cup of water to boil. Off heat, add bulgur and season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Stir until blended. Cover and let stand 15 minutes.

2. When bulgur is cooked, fluff with a fork and toss with remaining salad ingredients in a salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing and serve room temperature or cold.

Serves 4 as an appetizer, and 2 as a main course.

So now I have TWO bulgur recipes instead of one!

Eat, Drink, Be Healthy

Debut: Bulgur Obsession