Bulgur Pilaf with Corn & Zucchini…with a Vibrant Late Season Tomato Compote

Last month, a friend who has access to an amazing vegetable garden brought me a mountain of beautiful tomatoes…literally hot off the vines.  They were so ripe there was no waiting; the moment to use them was now.  

Of course I wanted to preserve most of them in some way (I have written of many things that can be done to preserve the late summer abundance of tomatoes:  sauce, oven dried, frozen whole, fondue).  But as it happened, I was in the middle of planning my September curbside dinner.  I immediately knew that some of those tomatoes would make their way into a sauce of some kind for that menu.  Because I have to keep costs reasonable for these dinners, a sauce of vine ripened tomatoes—that usually cost upwards of five or six dollars a pound—is just not within reach.  What a great thing to receive a gift from my friend…that I could in turn share with my regular clients.  

I had recently made a dinner for myself of a simple basmati pilaf with sautéed zucchini and sweet corn…topped with an egg…and a few spoonfuls of a concentrated tomato compote/sauce.  The tomato sauce was a last minute thought because at the time I had a small, very ripe tomato sitting on my counter that I had really needed to use.  It was the size with which I would normally make a quick summer tomato sauce for pasta—but I wasn’t really in the mood for pasta.  So instead, I made my usual sauce… and then served it dolloped over the pilaf and egg.  

The result was memorable:  The tangy character of the ripe, late season tomato lit up the other ingredients.  And the meal itself perfectly captured the moment in terms of the available ingredients and this year’s extended season of warm weather (too warm really to start thinking about the traditional foods of autumn).

As I thought about what I wanted to make for my curbside, I remembered that little dinner.  I can’t really give my patrons a cooked ahead fried egg…but I can give them a nicely seared piece of fish that they can then finish in their own ovens.  

The tomato compote I made for the curbside was a cross between  my quick summer tomato sauce and a rich tomato fondue that I occasionally make.  The quick sauce is made with roughly chopped tomatoes (skins and seeds included) and cooked down quickly in lots of olive oil and garlic.  (It is ready in the time it takes to boil pasta!)  The tomato fondue is a rich, more refined, compote of skinned and seeded tomatoes, cooked down in a base of olive oil, garlic and onions that have first been cooked to total softness.  I ended up calling my sauce for the curbside fondue because it was reduced and concentrated.  But I left the seeds in (removing only the skin) and omitted the onions.  The result was thick and rich (perfect for dolloping)…and tangy and sweet (great for enhancing the mild flavors of the rest of the dish).  It is basically the quick sauce without the tomato skin.  I’ve decided to rename it “Late Season Tomato Compote.”  

When making the “compote” for just one or two servings, you can simply make the original quick summer tomato sauce.  The main reason I didn’t make it for the curbside was I discovered that the longer cooking required for larger batches tended to toughen the skins—making them discernible in the final dish.  

I had so many tomatoes that I made extra of the compote for myself.  I froze it in little 2 oz containers (about a quarter cup or one serving)…which I will be able to enjoy all winter long…on pastas and pizzas—or to enhance a soup—or to go with a grain pilaf with a fried egg.  If you are looking for ways to preserve those big boxes of late season tomatoes that might still be coming into your farmers market, you should give this a try.

When I finally settled on my menu, not only did I change out the egg for salmon…I also swapped out rice for bulgur.  I liked the color contrast and the variation (rightly…or wrongly…assuming that people are more likely to make rice for themselves than bulgur).  I also added some crushed fennel seed and dried oregano to the pilaf to further compliment all of the vegetables.  I’m going to post the recipe for the bulgur pilaf.  But you could obviously make a basmati pilaf (or freekeh…or quinoa…) instead.  The pilaf is mostly a vehicle for all of the delicious vegetables. 

I was very happy with the result.  I have made a lot of curbside dinners in the past few years…but I think this was one of my favorites.  It was simple…beautiful…and perfectly “of the moment.”  What a wonderful gift I received from my friend.

Late Summer Tomato Compote

3 to 4 T. olive oil
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 to 1/4 t. hot pepper flakes (as you prefer)
1 1/4 lb. vine ripened tomatoes, peeled, cored and roughly diced 

Place the oil, along with the garlic and pepper flakes in a large sauté pan and place the pan over moderately high to high heat. When the garlic begins to sizzle enthusiastically and is just on the verge of taking on a bit of color, add the tomatoes (along with all of the juices) to the pan. The tomatoes should immediately begin to simmer rapidly. Allow the tomatoes to cook, shaking the pan back and forth occasionally, stirring at regular intervals and regulating the heat in order to maintain a brisk simmer, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce is very thick (a path will remain when you draw a spoon through the tomatoes) and the oil is just beginning to break out of the sauce.  You should have a generous cup.  Remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt.

Bulgur Pilaf with Corn & Zucchini

2 T. olive oil
1 small red onion (4 to 5 oz.), finely diced (you will have about 1 c. diced onion)
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 t. fennel seed, crushed with a mortar & pestle
1 t. dried oregano
1 c. (6 oz.) medium bulgur, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 c. boiling water

2 T. olive oil
10 oz. trimmed zucchini, cut in a 1/3-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 ears of corn, roasted in the husk and kernels cut from the cob to yield 1 3/4 to 2 cups
2 T. minced parsley

Warm 2 T. olive oil in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid over moderate heat.  Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and sweat until tender and translucent and beginning to turn golden around the edges.  Add the garlic, fennel & oregano and cook until fragrant—about a minute.  Increase the heat to medium high and add the drained bulgur along with a generous pinch of salt.  Continue to cook for a minute.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered until the bulgur is tender—12 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let stand (covered) for 5 minutes.  

While the bulgur cooks, sauté the zucchini.  Warm the olive oil in a medium sauté pan set over moderately high heat.  When the pan is hot, add the zucchini and sauté, tossing occasionally until tender and browned in spots.  Add the garlic, toss to distribute.  When fragrant, add the corn and toss to combine.  Heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the bulgur is done, transfer to a large bowl along with the zucchini and corn.  Add the parsley and toss to combine.

Enjoy the pilaf warm or at room temperature.  Serves 4

To serve the compote & pilaf with fish (as I did for the dinner):

Sear the Salmon (or whatever fish you prefer…Halibut would be good, too):  Place a heavy sauté pan that is large enough to hold the fish over medium-high heat.  While the pan is heating, season the fish on both sides with salt & pepper.  Add a thin film of olive oil to the pan.  When the oil is very hot, add the fish, service-side down (if you leave the skin on, this will be the side with the skin…if the fish is skinless, this will be the interior side).  Cook until it is a beautiful golden brown—about 3 minutes, regulating the heat as necessary to prevent smoking but at the same time, maintain an active sizzle. Turn the fish over and continue to cook until barely opaque in the center—another 3 minutes or so (reducing the heat further, as necessary).  Remove from the pan and keep warm.  Mound a quarter of the pilaf in the center of each plate, spreading out a bit to make room for the fish on top.  Transfer the fish to the pilaf.  Drizzle and dollop about a quarter cup of the compote over and around the fish and pilaf.  Enjoy.

Variation:  Substitute a fried or poached egg for the fish.

Printable Version

 

Bulgur topped with a Medley of Marinated Cherry Tomatoes, Chickpeas, Fennel & Feta

Last Sunday I finally got around to looking through some of my summer food magazines.  I don’t get to them as often as I like, but they always provide inspiration when I do. This time, among other things, I noticed a pasta salad in the July/August issue of Martha Stewart Living, filled with things I love:  Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Fennel, Chickpeas & Capers.  Since I had fresh fennel and cherry tomatoes on hand…and I’m always in the mood for pasta…I decided I would try it this week.

I finally got to it on Friday evening.  I had every intention of making the pasta exactly as written, but when dinner time rolled around, I wasn’t really in the mood for pasta (shocking… I know…).   I decided that what I really wanted was a grain salad…and that bulgur would be delicious with all the flavors of the “sauce” from the original recipe.

Then, as I was preparing the medley of marinated vegetables, I decided that they were so beautiful…and so tasty on their own…that I really didn’t want to fold them into the bulgur.  Instead, I decided to use the bulgur as a bed for a big pile of the marinated vegetables…sort of like a streamlined grain bowl.  It was delicious.  And just what I was hungry for.

Bulgur with a Medley of Marinated Cherry Tomatoes,

 Chickpeas, Fennel & Feta

Bulgur:

2 T. olive oil

1 small red onion (4 to 5 oz.), finely diced (you will have about 1 c. diced onion)

kosher salt

1 fat clove garlic, minced

1 t. fennel seed, crushed with a mortar & pestle

2 t. dried oregano

1 c. (6 oz.) medium bulgur, rinsed and drained

1 1/4 c. boiling water

Marinated Vegetables:

1 pint (2/3 lb.) cherry tomatoes, quartered (halved, if small)

3 T. capers

1/2 c. pitted Kalamata olives (about 24), halved
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 c. flat leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, cored & thinly sliced/shaved crosswise using a mandolin

4 oz. Feta, drained and cut into scant 1/2-inch cubes

Warm 2 T. olive oil in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid over moderate heat.  Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and sweat until tender and translucent.  Add the garlic, fennel & oregano and cook until fragrant—about a minute.  Increase the heat to medium high and add the drained bulgur along with a generous pinch of salt.  Continue to cook for a minute.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered until the bulgur is tender—12 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let stand (covered) for 5 minutes.  Scrape the finished bulgur onto a baking sheet and let cool to room temperature.

While the bulgur cooks and cools, make the medley of marinated vegetables.  Place all the ingredients in a bowl and fold together.  Season to taste with salt & pepper. 

To serve, spoon the room temperature bulgur onto a platter or individual plates, spreading out a bit and making a small divot in the center to hold the vegetables.  Mount the vegetables on top of the bulgur, making sure to get all of the liquid.  Drizzle with more olive oil, if you like.  Serves 4 as a light entrée.   

Notes & Suggestions:

• If you like, you may of course just combine the vegetables and bulgur and serve as a bulgur salad. The bulgur will absorb the juices, making a delicious grain salad.
• Even though I wasn’t in the mood for pasta when I made this, I’m sure that the vegetable mixture would be delicious on pasta for a pasta salad. Use 1 pound of gemelli, fusilli or cavatappi, cooked al dente and spread on a sheet pan to cool (rather than rinsing).

Printable Version

For those who might be preparing this for a household of one or two…and who only want to make half of a recipe (which is what I did), let me suggest a fantastic use for your remaining half can of chickpeas from Ottolenghi’s Simple: Chickpeas and Swiss Chard with Yogurt. If you like Mediterranean food and you shop at the farmer’s market or are a member of a CSA, it is likely you already have everything you need. I served it with Basmati Rice and warm flatbread. It was delicious. If you have the book, it’s on page 100. If not, the Guardian posted the recipe last year.

First Visit to the Market and an Asparagus & Bulgur Pilaf



Yesterday was the final day of March. But you would never know it from the weather. For most of March we experienced weather that was more like April or May....even June. Yesterday we almost hit 90°. We have been through a warp speed spring...watching in two weeks a progression of bloom that normally occurs over a four to six week period. The lilacs bloomed in March this year. This has been a once in a lifetime Spring.

In a normal year, I usually make my first early Saturday morning trek to the farmers' market around the second weekend of April. As much as I look forward to the market season, I tend to put off that first trip. It's usually still cold...I'm out of the habit...and there just isn't much there. The market is officially open during the winter months, but our normal weather conditions make it almost impossible for the local growers to have much to offer before mid April. The thing that always lures me back is the asparagus. I don't want to miss its arrival. My goal every year is to make it to the market the same week the local asparagus does...maybe a week before....

I don't know if yesterday morning's visit coincided with the first asparagus or not. A friend who farms in the Lawrence area told me that they had begun harvesting their asparagus this past week...so it is likely that Saturday was the day. In any case, I brought home a couple of nice bunches of local asparagus. What a treat...local asparagus in March.

Our evening meal on that first market Saturday in Spring always seems special to me. I never do anything complicated—I just want to savor the moment and quietly celebrate the beginning of the growing year by cooking with some of those first few ingredients. Because that first visit to the market falls more often than not on the weekend before the asparagus arrives, I usually make a big green salad (many of the lettuces and the spinach are the first things to arrive). And I could have had a salad last night—I brought home a big bag of beautiful lettuces. But I really just wanted to enjoy the asparagus.

So for dinner last night we had a simple bulgur pilaf that was loaded with asparagus. I added a few peas from the freezer, spring onions from my morning trip to the market and a big handful of fresh herbs—parsley, mint (already rampant in my garden) and thyme. I finished the pilaf with some pistachios and lemon and served it with a hard cooked egg (eggs and asparagus are wonderful together). For tips on how to create a main course pilaf of seasonal vegetables, check out my "basics" post from a couple of years ago.

I was—as always—so glad to be back at the market. Walking the familiar aisles, seeing faces I haven't seen since October or November, checking out what's new... I was filled with anticipation for the market season ahead. When I returned home, I spread out my purchases on the counter. I was immediately struck by the green-ness of it all. And then when I sat down to my evening meal, I noticed it again in the many and varied shades of green in the finished pilaf. We have been experiencing spring out of doors now for a full three weeks. Yesterday, it made its way into my kitchen....and onto my plate.

Bulgur Pilaf with Asparagus & Herbs

2 T. olive oil
4 or 5 spring onions—including a few inches of the green—trimmed and thinly sliced (you will have about 1 c. onion)
1 T. picked fresh thyme, roughly chopped
kosher salt
1/4 t. fennel seed, crushed in a mortar and pestle
1 c. (6 oz.) medium bulgur, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 c. water

1/2 lb. (trimmed weight) asparagus spears, trimmed and cut in 1-inch lengths on a short diagonal
1 c. peas (thawed, if using frozen)
1/4 c. chopped flat leaf parsley
3 to 4 T. mint chiffonade
1 to 2 T. olive oil
zest of 1/2 a lemon
lemon juice to taste (about 1 to 2 t. or so)
1/2 c. toasted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Warm 2 T. olive oil in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid over moderate heat. Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and sweat until tender and translucent. Add the thyme and fennel and cook until fragrant—about a minute. Increase the heat to medium high and add the drained bulgur along with a generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook for a minute. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered until the bulgur is tender—12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand (covered) for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender. Scoop out the asparagus and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Spread out on a couple layers of paper towels. Return the water to a boil and add the peas. Cook until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Add to the asparagus.

Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl and toss in the peas and asparagus along with the remaining ingredients—adding lemon juice and salt to taste. If the pilaf seems dry, add a bit more olive oil. Serves 4 as an entrée along with a hard cooked or egg or a wedge of cheese.

Note:
• The pilaf may be served warm or at room temperature.
• The pilaf would be a great dish to take on a picnic or to a pot luck.

Printable Version

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A Butternut Squash & Bulgur Pilaf for the Kaw Valley Farm Tour

I mentioned in my last post that this had been a busy week. One of the highlights of my week was participating in the Kaw Valley Farm Tour. The Kaw Valley is the river valley of the Kansas (or Kaw) River running from Junction City, Kansas east to Kaw Point in Kansas City. Every year for a weekend in October a group of growers situated in the Kaw River Valley get together and open their growing and producing operations to the public. It is a fabulous opportunity for people in the area to see what is growing and thriving in their own back yards.

Yesterday and today were picture perfect early October days with sunny blue skies, puffy clouds and the cool feel of fall in the air. Everything is still green after our unusually wet summer and there is just a tinge of color beginning to show in the leaves. Even if you weren't interested in the stops along the way, the drive through the Kaw Valley on such a day would be a worthwhile way to spend some time. Being outside in such a beautiful place when the weather is so lovely is amazingly restorative. I wish that I were a landscape photographer so that I could share the beauty with you.

My part in the weekend's activities was a short cooking demonstration and tasting yesterday at a the Blue Jacket Crossing vineyard and winery. I have to confess that I wasn't sure how my part of the day was going to go. I had not visited beforehand and it is not uncommon for a chef to go into a situation where they simply have to make the best of it. But this was not the case at Blue Jacket. The delightful couple who own and operate the winery graciously welcomed me and had a special place set up for me to do my demonstration. Despite the rather stiff Kansas wind, I truly had a wonderful time (I hope I get to go back).


Demonstration mis en place ready to go



Tastings

Prior to the event they had sent me six of their wines to try so I could match my food to some of them. Not surprisingly they sell out of their dry wines almost immediately after they are released; so at this point in the year, I was tasting, and would be preparing something to go with, their sweeter wines. Since the farm tour is a celebration of locally grown foods, I decided I would make the bulgur pilaf (Kansas is wheat country, after all) that I posted about in the spring and change it up a bit for the fall.

The spinach that appears in the original pilaf could easily have been changed to Swiss Chard and would have been a fine addition to an Autumn pilaf.  Swiss Chard makes an appearance at the Farmers' Market in both the spring and the fall. But the butternut squash has been looking particularly nice this year, so I thought I would use that instead. Also, I thought its sweetness would be great with the wines. Initially I thought about also incorporating some eggplant because I think eggplant and butternut squash are good partners during the short season when they come into the market together. The pilaf that I made with both butternut squash and eggplant was really good, but the presence of the eggplant seemed to require the addition of a generous squeeze of lemon juice.  This would have made it a poor match for the wines.

I eventually settled on a pilaf with just roasted butternut squash, pistachios, golden raisins, loads of mint and the optional addition of chickpeas for when it is to be served as an entrée. Without the chickpeas it is a wonderful side dish for Autumn.  I think it would make a nice addition to the Thanksgiving table.  And judging from the reaction of those who tasted it yesterday, it would be very well-received...even by people who think they don't like "whole grains".
 

The pilaf paired very well with Blue Jacket's award winning Seyval Reserve (a lovely white, which I had not tasted before I arrived) and their Nouveau Beaujolais-style Wolf Red. So in addition to having the pleasure of watching people taste and enjoy the pilaf, I got to see their eyes light up as they tasted the pilaf and the wine together.

The tasting room at the winery is open year round, so if you are in the area, check out their website and drop in to see them and taste their wines while you enjoy the spectacular view of their Kaw Valley Vineyard. (While you're at it, make a batch of this pilaf to take with you. With the addition of a little yogurt, some fruit and a bottle of wine, it would make a great picnic lunch.)





 Bulgur Pilaf with Butternut Squash,

Pistachios & Golden Raisins

2 to 2 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut in a scant 3/4-inch dice (about 5 c. diced)
3 to 4 T. olive oil, divided
1 small onion (about 6 oz.), diced (you will have about 1 c. diced onion)
1 fat clove garlic, minced
kosher salt
1 t. ground cumin
pinch cayenne
1 c. (6 oz.) medium bulgur, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 c. water
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/4 c. mint chiffonade
2 T. minced flat leaf parsley
1/2 c. toasted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Toss the squash with 1 to 2 T. olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 425°F oven until tender and caramelized—20 to 30 minutes (stirring once so it will brown evenly).

Warm 2 T. olive oil in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid over moderate heat. Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and sweat until tender and translucent. Add the garlic, cumin and cayenne and cook until fragrant—about a minute. Increase the heat to medium high and add the drained bulgur along with a generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook for a minute. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered until the bulgur is tender—12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and scatter the raisins over the surface of the bulgur. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl. Add the herbs, roasted squash and pistachios and toss until everything is well combined. Serve warm or room temperature. Serves 4 to 5 as side dish.

Variations:
- To make a more substantial pilaf to be served as an entrée, add a 1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (if using canned, drain and rinse before adding). Add the chickpeas with the roasted squash and pistachios.

- For a late summer variation, top and tail a medium eggplant (about 12 oz.). Cut into a 3/4-inch dice and toss with salt, pepper and olive oil to coat and spread on a baking sheet. Transfer to a 425° oven and roast until tender and caramelized—about 20 minutes. Add to the pilaf with the butternut squash. Substitute walnuts for the pistachios and add 2 to 4 tablespoons of lemon juice to the final pilaf.

- Add 10 oz. of stemmed spinach that has been wilted, squeezed dry and roughly chopped.

A Versatile Grain Pilaf

I taught a class this week called "Simple Suppers." One of the things that I wanted to teach when I proposed this class was how to make a grain pilaf that is essentially a one dish meal. We are hearing so much about whole grains and how Americans really need to incorporate more whole grains in their diets. A main course pilaf is a great way to do just that.

A pilaf is a grain that has been prepared in a very specific way. If a grain has been cooked using the "pilaf method", it has been sautéed in some butter, oil or other fat before the liquid is added. Frequently onions and possibly some garlic or spices are cooked in the fat before adding the grain. Grains will vary in the amount of liquid that they require and in the length of time that they will need to cook (this information can be found on the box or the bulk bin), but the basic method will remain the same.

The word pilaf is most often applied to rice dishes, but almost any grain can be cooked using the pilaf method. Some examples include quinoa, bulgur, pearled barley, farro, spelt, and wheat berries. Once you learn how to make a grain pilaf, you will be ready to create all kinds of interesting, satisfying and nutritious, grain-based entrées.

To make any grain into a pilaf:  First, cook some onion (use whatever kind you like—white, yellow, red, shallots, spring onions, or green onions) in a generous amount (at least 2 T. for a cup of your chosen grain) of olive oil or butter. After the onion is tender, add garlic and any spices that you are using—cumin, coriander, fennel seed, paprika, curry, chili powder, turmeric, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, etc.—and cook until fragrant. Add the grain (rinsed, if necessary) and cook for a minute or two to coat the grain in the fat and get it hot. Add the liquid (water or stock) and salt and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until tender—grains vary from 12 to 15 minutes cooking time for quinoa or bulgur, to a couple of hours for wheat berries. When the grain is tender, remove it from the heat and allow it to sit, still covered, for 5 minutes.  The grain will continue to absorb any remaining liquid as it rests.

You could serve your grain pilaf as is as a side dish.  But you can also think of your pilaf at this point as a blank canvas for all kinds of additions and garnishes.  It can become the star of the meal instead of just the supporting player.

To almost any pilaf, I like to add a dried fruit of some kind—I enjoy the sweetness and chewy texture that this contributes. Add the fruit by scattering it over the surface of the finished pilaf while it rests.  This will help the fruit to soften a bit. I think sundried tomatoes also fall into this sweet-chewy category and can be added in the same way. If you want to go in the chewy-salty direction, olives can be added to the final dish.  Whether you are adding dried fruit, sundried tomatoes, olives or some combination of these, aim for about 1/3 to 1/2 cup for every cup of raw grain.

I also like to add about 3 cups of a cooked vegetable of some kind—cooked beans, blanched, sautéed or roasted vegetables, wilted greens, etc.  If you want to add roasted vegetables, think about the fact that roasting shrinks vegetables, so start with a volume of prepared, raw vegetables that is about twice the volume that you want to end with.  So, for example, if you want to end up with 3 cups of roasted vegetables, start with 5 or 6 cups raw vegetables. If you are going to serve the pilaf hot (as opposed to turning it into a room temperature or cold salad-type dish), any vegetable you add should also be hot. If you are blanching or sautéing the added vegetables, do this while the pilaf rests. Roasted vegetables can be timed so they are finished when the pilaf is, or they can be cooked ahead and reheated in the oven.

Nuts are another favorite addition—not only for flavor, but for texture. Good choices include pine nuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds and pistachios. Always toast the nuts (350° oven, until golden and fragrant) before adding them. Toasting nuts deepens their flavors and in some cases gives them a more delicate crunch.  As with the dried fruit, I add 1/3 to 1/2 cup to the basic recipe.

Don't overlook the addition of fresh herbs--they add loads of flavor. Herbs like rosemary, sage, winter savory and thyme can be added to the pilaf with the onions and spices.  Herbs like mint, parsley, basil, cilantro and dill are better added at the end with the vegetables and nuts.

When your pilaf is finished, taste it. Correct the salt and pepper. Don't be afraid to add some lemon or garlic if the flavor seems flat or olive oil if the pilaf seems dry. I like to serve pilafs with a slice of cheese or a little yogurt.

For my class, I planned to teach a bulgur pilaf.  Bulgur is a grain that is easy to like--it has interesting texture without being too chewy and it cooks quickly, making it great for a spur of the moment or weeknight meal.  Since the class was to have a seasonal theme, I had planned to use asparagus as the main vegetable addition—but I wasn't particularly thrilled with this idea because I already had an asparagus dish in the class. Then, while reading up on grain pilafs, I ran across a bulgur and spinach pilaf at 101 cookbooks.  I have not made this recipe, but it looks excellent.  In any case, I thought the use of wilted spinach as a vegetable addition was inspired.  Spinach is also a seasonal addition.  In fact, I already had some on hand from my Saturday trip to the market:

Once I had settled on the spinach, the remaining ingredients fell into place.  Chickpeas are good with bulgur and they are also a traditional Spanish and Mediterranean accompaniment for spinach.  Other flavors that are good with these two ingredients are cumin and mint.  If you are not crazy about mint, dill would also be a good choice.  With the texture that the chickpeas provide,  you don't necessarily need a nut, but I love them, so I decided to add some toasted walnuts.  Pistachios would have been good too (and colorful).  Finally, I added golden raisins.  I also really like the idea of dried apricots with the bulgur and walnuts, so when I made the dish again last night, I made it with the apricots.  It is nice either way.  The whole idea is to make a pilaf that pleases you.  A good friend told me that she made this recipe with Swiss Chard, Currants and Almonds.

I could continue at length about possible combinations--there are so many different directions you can go when putting together a grain pilaf.  You could change this recipe by using quinoa instead of bulgur.  If I had chosen to make a bulgur pilaf with asparagus, I might have then included some roasted artichokes and most certainly would have added some blanched English peas (instead of chickpeas).  I might have added some thyme and fennel seed to the cooking onions and would have finished the pilaf with parsley, mint and pine nuts...and maybe some lemon zest. 

If you need some ideas, recipes for grain based entrées are becoming more and more common and are readily found on-line.  A few years ago Gourmet published a barley pilaf-based salad with roasted summer vegetables that has become one of my favorites.  This past March, Food & Wine ran an article, "Amazing Grains", that included basic pilaf instructions along with a couple of recipes using this basic pilaf.  If you are completely new to the world of grains, Deborah Madison has an extensive and user friendly section on grains in her book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.   Madison even gives pointers on which grains are the friendliest for people who are not used to eating whole grains. 

Someone told me recently that people would eat more "healthy" food if it could be made to taste good.  Well, this pilaf tastes really good.

Bulgur Pilaf with Chickpeas & Spinach 

Pilaf:

2 T. olive oil

3 or 4 spring onions, including some of the green, sliced--keep the white & green separate
1 fat clove garlic, minced
kosher salt
1/2 t. ground cumin
1 c. (6 oz.) medium bulgur, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 c. water

Additions/Garnish:
1/2 c. julienned dried apricots or golden raisins
2 T. olive oil
pinch hot pepper flakes
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
10 oz. stemmed spinach, washed (Cook the spinach in the water clinging to the leaves in a covered pot. When the leaves have wilted, remove from the heat and cool. Squeeze out the excess liquid and roughly chop.)
1/4 c. mint chiffonade
1/2 c. toasted walnuts, broken or coarsely chopped

Warm 2 T. olive oil in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid over moderate heat. Add the white portion of the spring onions along with a pinch of salt and sweat until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant—about a minute. Increase the heat to medium high and add the drained bulgur. Continue to cook for a minute. Add the water and some salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered until the bulgur is tender—12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and scatter the apricots over the surface of the bulgur. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

While the bulgur is resting, heat 2 T. olive oil in a wide sauté pan set over medium heat. Add the pepper flakes and chickpeas along with the green tops from the spring onions and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the chickpeas are hot.

Scatter the spinach over the chickpeas. Season with salt and continue to cook and stir until the spinach is hot through.

Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl. Scatter the mint over the bulgur, followed by the chickpea/spinach mixture along with the walnuts. Toss until everything is well combined.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  Serve accompanied by some plain yogurt, if you like. Serves 4 to 5 as an entrée.

Note:  I used spring onions for this pilaf because I had some from the farmers' market, but you can use any onion that you have on hand--you'll need about one cup.  Unless you are using green onions as a substitute for the spring onions, omit the addition of the green portion of the onion to the chickpea/spinach mixture.