Winter Tabbouleh
Sunnyside Cook
Ingredients
For tabbouleh
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/4 cups coarse bulgur I used red bulgur from Bob’s Red Mill
- 1 large Belgian endive halved lengthwise, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium fennel bulb stalks removed, bulb cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups tiny cauliflower florets 1/2-inch in diameter or smaller
- 6 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
- 3 tablespoons walnuts coarsely chopped
- Seeds from 1 large pomegranate about 1 1/3 cups
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For dressing
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Instructions
For tabbouleh
- Cook bulgur according to package directions. (If you have no directions, this is the technique I used: Heat 2 1/2 cups of water in a medium pot to boiling. Add the bulgur, cover the pot, and turn heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes, then fluff with fork, recover and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 20 minutes.) If needed, drain well in sieve. Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl and fluff again with a fork. Allow bulgur to come to room temperature.
- Meanwhile chop the endive, fennel, and cauliflower. If eating tabbouleh immediately, place chopped vegetables in bowl with cooled bulgur. Add chopped parsley and mint, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. Stir gently to distribute all ingredients evenly.
For dressing
- Stir the garlic, molasses, lemon juice, water, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking to combine. Taste. The dressing will be very tart. Add sugar, if desired.
- Toss bulgur mixture with dressing and serve.
Notes
The components for the salad can be prepared up to 4 hours before serving. If making ahead of time, cover cooked, cooled bulgur and set aside at room temperature. Place chopped vegetables in covered medium bowl at room temperature. Likewise, keep chopped walnuts and pomegranate seeds in separate containers at room temp. Right before serving, combine all the ingredients, add chopped herbs, season, and stir in dressing.
Adapted from a recipe by Samuel and Samantha Clark of Moro restaurant in London published in Gourmet Today (2009).