BULGAR WHEAT SALAD

Good Morning to you,

I appreciate, that in many parts of the world,  it is cold and it is snowing, and your looking at the title of my post and thinking, I have posted this recipe in the wrong season, as this is a summer recipe. You are also thinking, the last thing you want to eat is a salad.....but please do not be put off, as this is a simple, but delicious salad which I enjoy during our very cold winter months.

This is a Bulgar Wheat Salad and yes, you will be pleased to hear, this is a simple salad. After all the Christmas and New Year cooking, I am happy to eat something which takes 15 minutes to prepare and which is healthy.

Bulgar wheat is used extensively throughout the Mediterranean and I first came across it whilst living in Cyprus.  It has a slight nutty flavour and can be used in a variety of ways.  I use Bulgar Wheat in soups, in stuffings, in salads or as an accompaniment to  meat or fish dishes.

   

 This recipe is not an exact science, as this salad is often made up of ingredients from my store cupboard or fridge. For instance, the Bulgar wheat I have used for this recipe, I set aside from  the previous evening's meal, and placed it in the fridge, with the intention of making this salad the following day. Sometimes I grate the carrots, but today I have left them in small chunks.  Omit the carrots and add tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber, then add small chunks of fetta cheese, tuna fish or chicken if you prefer.  If you enjoy garlic, add grated garlic or add a small amount of pesto (see how to make your own) The additions are endless.

But for the sake of guidance I will give you the weights of the ingredients I used. 

 INGREDIENTS

 These amounts serve two people

1/2 small white onion, chopped 

(use red onion  or

2 spring onions if you prefer)

4 oz cooked Bulgar wheat

1 carrot chopped or grated

4 small tomatoes or 1 large tomato chopped

1/4 large cucumber chopped into small pieces

9 sun dried tomatoes

1 Little Gem lettuce, shredded 

8 stoned green and black olives

1 tablespoon of oil from the sun dried tomatoes

A squeeze of lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 Cook the Bulgar wheat as indicated by the makers instructions

Place in a bowl and allow to cool

 

 Add the chopped onion 

 

  Add the chopped or grated carrot

 

Add the chopped tomatoes and

cucumber 

Add the sun dried tomatoes

chop into small pieces if you prefer

 

  Add the halved black and green stoned olives

 

 Add the shredded lettuce 

 Add a tablespoon of olive oil from

the sun dried tomatoes

A squeeze of lemon juice

Sea salt and  black pepper to taste

Mix the salad together

  

Good quality sun dried tomatoes are expensive to buy, but they are so much cheaper to make yourself. During the summer, when tomatoes are plentiful, I made my own sun dried tomatoes. When tomatoes are in season again, I will show you how to do this, so collect  two jars with lids then you will be ready to make your own. 

Just as an added thought,  if you are working, and you need to take a packed lunch with you, this salad is perfect.

  

Before I leave you, I have to apologise for my photographs, as they are not the normal size I would choose.  Along with many other people, I am unable to load my photos in the normal way. Blogger is having a bit of a problem, so I am loading them via HTML which works, but does not give the size of photograph I really want. Having said that, "something is better than nothing".

Take care and have a lovely day and I will see you later in the week.