Stone fruit tabbouleh

Why, hello there!
I’ve been thinking about starting this blog for what feels like ages, and have come up with probably hundreds of reasons to wait ‘just a bit longer’ before launching it… but I’ve finally decided to throw caution to the wind and just do it already.

What really pushed me over the edge is the crazy abundance of stone fruit available right now – and the fact that before long it’ll all be gone again. I couldn’t bear the thought of being too late for the season to share this stone fruit tabbouleh! I am so keen on this dish that I’ve managed to overcome all of the excuses I had to postpone launching this blog.

(That in itself should give you an idea of how good this tabbouleh is because I have a dreadful case of totally useless and in fact obstructive perfectionism.)

fruit tabbouleh, vegetarian recipe

This tabbouleh, even at its base, is by no means ‘authentic’ – but it is incredibly satisfying and refreshing at the same time, particularly on hot summer days. I’ve thrown some coriander in there because I dig it (and also because the first time I threw this together I was on a mission to clean out the fridge). The stone fruit – in this case nectarine, but any would work – replaces the usual tomato for an extra kick of sweetness along with some acidity. And I couldn’t possibly resist throwing some pistachios on there to accompany the pomegranate seeds, which I simply couldn’t pass up.

Of course, you could skip the pomegranate and the pistachio and still have yourself a delicious salad that doesn’t require quite as much work. But if you’ve got the time, I find the process of de-shelling pistachios and whacking seeds out of pomegranates to be incredibly relaxing. Particularly with an episode of Friends or New Girl on in the background.

To be fair, any tabbouleh is going to be somewhat labour-intensive, between the washing and drying of the herbs, and then all of the chopping. Don’t let that deter you though: you can make a big batch and eat from it for at least three days, and the flavours will actually only get better as the salad sits in the fridge.

fruit tabbouleh, vegetarian recipe

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Stone fruit tabbouleh

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 5-6 dinner-sized servings

Stone fruit tabbouleh

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups/300 g dry bulgur (this works out to about 5-6 cups cooked)
2 nectarines, sliced thinly
1/2 English cucumber, diced
2 spring onions, diced
handful each of fresh mint, coriander (cilantro), and parsley leaves, finely chopped*
shelled and chopped pistachios, for topping
pomegranate seeds, for topping
*you can leave the stems if you like but they make for a less pleasant texture, in my opinion
For the dressing
3 tbsp olive oil
8 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cardamom
2 cloves garlic, crushed
optional: crushed chill flakes
pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients to make the dressing and then set aside.
2. Cook the bulgur according to the package instructions and, in the meantime, start prepping the salad ingredients.
2. When the bulgur is cooked and drained, let it cool for about 5 minutes and then combine it with the dressing. Season to taste with salt if desired.
3. When the bulgur is cool enough to no longer be steaming at all, add in the rest of your ingredients. Make sure the bulgur isn't hot enough to wilt your herbs, as the salad comes to life with their bright and fresh flavours.
4. The salad can be served warm, but is even better if left to cool completely and soak in more of the flavour of the dressing. Right before service, sprinkle a few chopped pistachios and some pomegranate seeds over your serving, and enjoy!
http://feastwithsophie.com/index.php/2015/07/22/stone-fruit-tabbouleh/