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Bulghur Wheat Salad
Making the salad is easy and as with all my recipes the end result is totally up to you. Stand at your kitchen counter talking to a friend while you dice all the veggies up. This is the most time consuming of the whole process and the idle chatter makes it far more enjoyable. After the first two ingredients everything else is optional. Just use what you like.
- 1 cup dry bulghur wheat
- 1 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1-2 smallish yellow or green or both summer squash
- 1 bell pepper of any or all color(s)
- 1 carrot
- 1 firm red tomato
- 1 stalk celery
- 5-10 red radish
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 medium red onion
- That left over kernel corn you have setting in the fridge
- 1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
- Fresh basil
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh chives or other fresh herbs (You can also use dry if you need to)
- Salt and pepper to taste (fresh cracked pepper is always best)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
- Half as much herb vinegar as you used oil (I make chive blossom vinegar each year and use that)
Place your boiling water in a large bowl and add the bulghur wheat. Set this aside.
Dice up all your veggies to about the size of a kernel of corn. I always try to add what would equal 1/4 cup at least of each veggie but you can add or subtract what suits your tastes. Mince the garlic and fresh herbs. Again these are totally up to your particular tastes. I add what would equal a tablespoon or 2 of each but you can add dry as well, it will just take longer for the flavors to mingle with the bulghur and veggies.
Combine the diced veggies and herbs with the cooled bulghur, stirring it all together until well mixed. Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over the bulghur and veggies. Stir in and cover. Let this chill for an hour or so in the fridge to allow all the flavors to mingle. The longer you let it set the better it will taste but you can always eat it immediately if you need to or you just can't resist digging in.
Now, if you are of the wild edible plant persuasion as I am feel free to add any of the following as well: purslane, lamb's quarters, dandelion greens or bloom buds, chickweed, daylily buds or tubers, sheep sorrel, Jerusalem artichoke tubers, nettles etc. Edible flowers also add a wonderful zest to this salad as well as adding vibrant color. Some edible flowers you might consider are nasturtium, borage, tulip and rose.
No matter what the end result of your personal salad is it will always be a great hit. I have yet to meet anyone that didn't enjoy it.
Melana Hiatt