Freekeh Tabouli

NOT TOO LONG AGO, I WAS SHOPPING at a lovely locally owned natural foods store. I had a list but I was also browsing, for inspiration and ideas, at some of the other beautiful and well selected foods offered.

I love shopping in small specialty food stores. The prices are often very good and the service is usually excellent. Not to mention they sell food. Only food. I am so weary of giant stores. If I have a small list of fresh produce, brown rice, olive oil, yogurt, and feta cheese, I really don't want to wade through lawn chairs, market umbrellas, stack after stack of soft drinks, a pharmacy, stinky scented candles that make me sneeze.

I shop for food almost everyday. That way, my food is always fresh and I don't waste. I typically shop for household supplies--dish soap, laundry detergent, bathroom tissue, etc. monthly. So I don't appreciate my food having to share space with all that merchandise.

I know the concept--everything you need in one "convenient" location. Between the huge store, the huge parking lot, the long lines at checkout, it takes seemingly forever to shop at those places.

Back to the lovely food store. . .

A small bag of freekeh, roasted, cracked green wheat, caught my attention and into the shopping basket it went. I had no idea what I would use it for, but I love designing recipes around newly discovered and healthful ingredients.

Several weeks later, I was staring out my kitchen window while washing dishes. I was admiring the beautiful stand of parsley growing in the border garden and thought to myself that tabouli would be a delicious way to enjoy it. I remember the freekah in the pantry and, click, this recipe came together.

Normally I make tabouli with bulghur which is traditional. The taste of this tabouli was not that different but the grain, freekah, had a different and pleasant, slightly chewy texture. It was so, so, very refreshing on the hot day I made it, and we both loved it very much.

Freekeh Tabouli
1 cup freekeh (roasted green wheat)
2 1/2 cups water
2 bunches parsley (about 6 - 8 cups)
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, sliced (about 1 cup)
2 - 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 - 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded. and diced
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Place freekeh and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 25 - 30 minutes, until water is absorbed and freekeh is tender. Let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, wash and chop the parsley and mint,  slice the scallions, dice the cucumbers and tomatoes, and squeeze the lemons.

Add the cooled freekeh to a large salad bowl. Stir in the parsley, scallions, mint, cucumber, tomatoes, olive oil, and lemon juice. Let sit for 30 minutes or more, then stir, taste, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Vegetable Cobbler

AS THE SEASONS CHANGE, WE NATURALLY begin changing our diets. As our summer tomato harvest winds down, the weather gets cooler and the days shorter, I often feel myself at a loss. I will fumble along for a bit but then I will find my "sea legs" again. Meanwhile, I will prepare very simple meals to sustain us.

One thing I miss in the summer, is using my oven. I love baking and roasting--so delicious, fragrant, comforting, and warming.

Upon my return from a recent trip to the flat lands, I discovered it was quite chilly here in the mountains. I began planning a roasted dinner right away!

Using Brussels sprouts and root vegetables, seasoned with what I think of as the quintessential savory seasonings for fall--sage, rosemary, and thyme, I made this vegetable cobbler with a slightly sweet cornmeal biscuit topping.

I served it with fresh, warm, homemade applesauce. It was a perfect meal.

Roasted Vegetable Cobbler
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes
1 large sweet potato
2 large carrots
2 medium rutabagas
4 cups Brussels sprouts
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. each sage, rosemary, thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Topping:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash potatoes, carrots and rutabagas, peel if desired, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Trim the Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Place all into a large black skillet. Toss with the olive oil and seasonings.

Roast for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the topping, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, sour cream, vegetable oil, and brown sugar. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until well combined.

Remove vegetables from the oven and drop spoonfuls of the batter over the top. Return to the oven and bake for 40 -45 minutes, until vegetables are tender and topping is golden brown.

Kale Tabouli

 HAVE YOU EVER SPENT TIME WITH someone who thinks it is great fun to startle others? What makes it so funny to them when they jump out and say boo! to another who is minding their own business and thinking their own thoughts?

I once worked with a man who thought it was great fun to burst into my (accounting) office, suddenly and noisily and without warning, for the sole purpose and for his great delight, to see me jump, clutch my suddenly racing heart, seethe at him and glare. Hee-hee-hee, he would laugh.

Jerk.

Now what in the world does this have to do with the Middle Eastern dish of bulghur wheat mixed with parsley, mint, chopped onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, and olive oil? Absolutely nothing. I just happen to have a memory of sitting at my desk, working through my lunch hour to finish payroll (including the jerk's check) before a holiday and suddenly choking on a spoonful of this refreshing and cooling salad.

We love Tabouli and I make it often in the summer. Served with some hummus and pita, it makes a scrumptious light evening meal. Both feta cheese and avocado are great additions. And for this version, I added massaged kale which was fantastic.

Kale Tabouli
3/4 cup bulghur (cracked wheat)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 bunch kale, washed, stems removed, leaves chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup minced onion
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
1 or 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 2 cups)
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium mixing bowl, pour water over bulghur. Cover and let sit for 1 hour.

Place kale into a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt, sprinkle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Massage kale about 3 - 5 minutes until tender. Add minced onion, chopped parsley, chopped mint leaves, and chopped cucumber. Stir to combine.

Drizzle the tender bulghur with olive oil and lemon juice. Add to the vegetables in the salad bowl. Add chopped tomatoes and toss everything together.

Add salt, pepper, more olive oil, and/or more lemon juice, to taste.

Chilled Persian Yogurt Soup

I was intrigued by this recipe when I saw it in Food & Wine Magazine last summer. At last I made it and I am so glad I did. I just loved this very unusual summer soup, which is filled with herbs, nuts, and raisins.

Here in the dog days of summer, I need meals which are cooling and refreshing. Served with grilled bread, this soup made a perfectly satisfying weeknight supper. Make the soup ahead of time as it needs to be served well-chilled.

Chilled Persian Yogurt Soup
(Chef Hoss Zare)
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup dried rose petals, crushed*
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups ice water
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and finely diced (1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ground sumac*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 10 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, cover the rose petals with cold water and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the petals and squeeze dry.

In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt with the ice water. Stir in the raisins, cucumber, mint, dill, chives, walnuts and rose petals and season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until very cold, at least 1 hour.

Serve the soup in shallow bowls, sprinkled with sumac.

*I ordered both the rose petals and the sumac from Savory Spice Shop.

Roasted Cod with Warm Tomato Tapenade

Here's an easy and healthful recipe for you. The Mediterranean flavors of the warm tomato tapenade brightens all kinds of white fish as well as chicken or baked tofu. It is also delicious served over brown rice.  The dish comes together very quickly for a pretty and elegant presentation.

I served it with orzo and freshly grated Parmesan plus braised baby bok choy.

Roasted Cod with Warm Tomato Tapenade
(Eating Well Magazine)
1 pound cod fillet
3 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cured olives
1 Tbsp. capers
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Rub cod with 2 tsp. oil. Sprinkle with pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tsp. oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 20 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Add olives and capers; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds more. Stir in oregano and vinegar; remove from heat. Spoon the tapenade over the cod to serve.

Patra-Ni-Macchi

Curry-Palooza #6

Camille of Croque-Camille chose the recipe for this month's Curry-Palooza. She picked Patra-Ni-Macha from the lovely blog, Quick Indian Cooking.

We loved this dish! However, I admit I strayed from the given recipe because it called for an entire bunch of cilantro. And I just don't enjoy that herb. I used parsley instead. And because parsley is so much more subtle in flavor, I searched out some other recipes for the same dish. As a result, I added 6 cloves of garlic rather than 3. I also added 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger, 1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar to the chutney paste. 

I also saw mention of brushing ghee onto the delicate banana leaves to help keep them from splitting.  I thought  that was a good idea, because the banana leaves are very fragile.  And so I did.

Wash the fish and cut into serving sized pieces, as desired. Cut a piece of banana leaf-those things are huge--into a size that will gift wrap your piece of fish.  You don't need to secure them, just place them seam side down onto a steamer pan. 




Banana Leaf Wrapped Fish



The Color Changes After Steaming

Enjoy with rice, lemon wedges, tomato, and cucumber.

I love this monthly Curry-Palooza event. Not only am I learning more about Indian cookery, I am learning more about the varying cultures within India. Last month's dish was a Bengali dish, and this one is a signature dish of the Parsi peoples in Mumbai. I have been taking some time to learn what that means. I think it is important to understand the beliefs and customs of other cultures. Now, more than ever. Do you?

One of the co-founders of our little group, Grapefruit of Needful Things, couldn't cook along with us this month. Here are the other posts:

More Please by Margie

Croque-Camille

I see that Indian Cuisine is gaining in popularity, so I hope you will consider cooking along with us. Just let any of us know and you're in. No cliques here. And you will even get to choose a recipe! 

Radish Sandwiches with Anchovy Butter

I have been intrigued by the concept of serving radishes, which I love, with bread and butter. However, I had never tried it.  When I saw this recipe in the April issue of Bon Appetit, which ups the ante by making the sandwiches with anchovy butter, I made a mental note. 

When I saw these beautiful radishes in the produce department of my regular grocery store, it was time to try the recipe.  We really go for anchovies. Plus the recipe calls for chives, and we happen to have some prime garlic chives growing right outside the kitchen door.

Radish Sandwiches with Anchovy Butter
(Bon Appetit)
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 - 3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Baguette slices
Sliced radishes

Mix butter, chopped anchovy fillets, and chives in a small bowl. Season with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Spread anchovy butter over each baguette slice. Top each with radish slices, overlapping slightly to cover the bread. Garnish with additional chopped chives. 



I was delighted with these little sandwiches! They tasted so much better than the sum of their parts and were quite satisfying.  I used some of the leftover anchovy butter on baked potatoes and that was also delicious.

Tabouli

Tabouli is one of the very popular dishes which jumped the borders of its origin, in this case the Middle East, a long time ago. I've been making it and eating it for many years now. I love it! It is also one of the dishes which carries many opinions and passions about how is should be made.

This is the way I make it. I like a LOT of parsley, which is one of the "super foods", not just a garnish in restaurants. I love the way parsley tastes. I don't use very much mint in my tabouli, because my husband doesn't enjoy it all that much.

Tabouli
1 cup bulghur (cracked wheat)
2 cups boiling water
2 bunches parsley (about 6 - 8 cups)
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, sliced (about 1 cup)
2 - 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 or 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced into small cubes (about 2 cups)
2 fresh tomatoes or more, to taste, seeded and diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt, to taste

Pour boiling water over bulghur, stir, cover and let sit for 1 hour. Meanwhile, thoroughly rinse parsley in a sinkful of water. Parsley can hold a lot of grit, which is horrifying if you bite into it while trying to enjoy your meal, so you will want to be very diligent with this step.

Chop and dice all the remaining vegetables and place in a large bowl along with the parsley. Once the bulghur has soaked for an hour, add the lemon juice and olive oil to it. Mix well and add the mixture to the vegetables. along with salt to taste.

Taste the salad and add more lemon juice, olive oil, or salt if desired.




Try this rolled into a lettuce leaf as a sandwich. It is very heathful, cooling, and refreshing.