Tabbouleh

Recipe from Monica Pileggi

This is from my The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen cookbook, page 127.

Serves 4

3 tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup medium-grind bulgur
1/2 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
6 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-1/2 cups minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup fresh mint 
2 scallions, sliced thin
 
Toss tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt in fine-mesh strainer set strainer over bowl and let drain, tossing occasionally for 30 minutes; reserve 2 tablespoons drained tomato juice. 

Toss bulgur with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and reserved tomato juice in a bowl and let sit until grains begin to soften, 30 to 40 minutes.

Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice oil, cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. Add tomatoes, bulgur, parsley, mint, and scallions and toss gently to combine. 

Cover and let sit at room temperature until flavors have blended and bulgur is tender, about 1 hour. 

Before serving, toss salad to recombine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Turkish Tomato, Bulgur & Red Pepper Soup

 

Recipe from Cheryl

Ingredients:
 
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 t Dried mint
1/2 t Smoked paprika
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1 T Tomato paste
1/2 C Dry white wine
1 28 oz Can, diced fire-roasted tomatoes
4 C Chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 C Water
3/4 C medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1/3 C chopped fresh mint.
 
Directions:
 
Heat the oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell peppers, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook until softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
 
Stir in garlic, dried mint, smoked paprika, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
 
Stir in wine, scraping up any brown bits, and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and their juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes soften and begin to  break apart, about 10 minutes.
 
Stir in broth, water, and bulgur and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until bulgur is tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, sprinkling individual portions with fresh mint.

Orange Chicken with Bulgur Pilaf

 Recipe from Debbie Zrike

Recipe link: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/orange-chicken-bulgur-pilaf

Ingredients

4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1 cup bulgur wheat  

6 scallions, sliced

Directions

In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the zest, half the scallions, 2 tablespoons oregano, 1 tablespoon oil, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

In another bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, 2 tablespoons oil, the remaining scallions and oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add the chicken and cook until golden, 8 to 9 minutes per side. Add the orange juice during the last minute of cooking.

Meanwhile, cook the bulgur according to the package directions. Toss with the tomato mixture; serve with the chicken.

Notes from Debbie: I used Red & White Quinoa in place of the bulgur wheat; purchased at Lowes.