Author’s Notes
The more limited produce offerings of colder months encourage me to get creative with salads. In place of fresh greens, I’ll often use a base of radicchio, chicory, endive, or even thinly shaved root vegetables. I brighten up dressings with citrus zest, parsley, or flavored oils and vinegars, which offer a nice contrast to the earthiness of winter vegetables. Walnut and hazelnut oil are my favorites: they’re pricey but intensely flavorful, so a small amount goes a long way.
Ingredients
Salad
- ¾ cup (135 g) bulgur wheat (cooked per directions below)
- ⅓ cup (about 35 g) sliced or slivered almonds
- 1 head radicchio (about 8 ounces, or 225 g), torn into bite-size pieces
- 1 ½ cups (250 g) cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15-oz, or 425-g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup (50 g) golden raisins
- ¼ cup (10 g) chopped fresh parsley
Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons walnut oil, hazelnut oil, or additional olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar (more as needed)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 small clove garlic, minced or finely grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- To make the salad, cook the bulgur per instructions below.
- Meanwhile, put the almonds in a small skillet and toast over medium heat, shaking or stirring frequently, until just golden; they’ll keep cooking after you remove them from the heat, so it’s better to stop too soon rather than too late.
- Put the bulgur in a large bowl and let cool briefly. Add the almonds, radicchio, chickpeas, raisins, and parsley.
- To make the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk until evenly combined.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cooking Bulgur Wheat
- Bring 3 cups (710 ml) of water to a boil, then stir in 1 cup (180 g) of bulgur. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bulgur is tender. Drain off any excess water, then fluff the bulgur with a fork. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes before using. 1 cup (180 g) of dry bulgur wheat yields about 3 1/2 cups (590 g) cooked.
Source: splendidtable.org