The Joys of Parsley: Tabbouleh Salad

After two weeks of eating out more than usual, I jumped back into the kitchen this weekend.

My husband and I decided we need to start exercising more often and eat healthier to rid the extra pounds put on by our recent vacations and some of the Turkish food that we love such as bread, cheese, gözleme, pide, sigara böreği, baklava, desserts, etc.

Indulging in too many carbohydrates became a problem for me once I turned 30. My no-fail metabolism just doesn’t work as well as it once did. So now, I’ll just need to watch what I eat for awhile.

On Saturday, we stocked up on fresh fruits and vegetables at the Beşiktaş pazar. I ended up with 2 very large bunches of maydanoz (Italian parsley), and I knew exactly what I would make with it - Tabbouleh. A traditional Lebanese Tabbouleh is a healthy, green, herbal salad where bulgur and tomatoes are used as the garnishes and not the other way around.

Shortly after I first arrived in  Istanbul, I took a Lebanese cooking class through the IWI. A Lebanese expat living in Istanbul taught us how to make Tabbouleh, Mdardara and several other Lebanese dishes. Then, in February, during my intensive Turkish language classes, one of my fellow classmates, Mehmet, was from Lebanon. He knew I enjoyed cooking and asked his mother back home to share her Tabbouleh recipe with me. Now, I have two different recipes to use as references in my kitchen.

Parsley is the main star in Tabbouleh. This leafy herb also is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and folic acid, one of the most important B vitamins. 

I’ve eaten more parsley this past year than I ever have in my entire life, often chopping up some to mix in with my roka and tomato salads. One cup of parsley contains only 22 calories, but 2 grams each of fiber and protein.

Tabbouleh is a simple recipe with seven basic ingredients - parsley, mint, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, lemon juice and fine bulgur. We enjoyed eating this salad two nights in a row.

Chopping the parsley and mint is what takes the most time. I found the best way to clean the herbs was to line the basket of my salad spinner with paper towels, place the chopped parsley and mint inside, rinse and spin until the herbs were fairly dry. You lose some of the herbs in the process, but it's much easier to chop the herbs first and then wash them.

Next time, instead of treating parsley as an unwelcome garnish, use this herb to make a delicious and nutritional salad.

Afiyet olsun!

Tabbouleh Salad
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
2 ½ bunches fresh Italian parsley, washed and finely chopped
½ bunch fresh mint, washed and finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, finely diced

50 g. finely cracked bulgur (köftelik bulgur)
50 ml. olive oil
50 ml. fresh lemon juice
My additions:
pinch dried sumac (This red, tart spice, often used in Middle Eastern cooking, is derived from the berry of a plant called Rhus coriaria.)
Generous drizzle Nar ekşisi sos
To taste salt and pepper

1. Cover the bulgur with hot water and let sit for at least 15 minutes. The grains will swell up as it rests. Drain the bulgur in a strainer, pressing on it to remove any excess water.
2. Place the parsley, mint, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl, gently mix.
3. Then, add the bulgur, olive oil, lemon juice and other seasonings as you desire. Season with salt and pepper. Gently mix again.
4. Line a platter with clean lettuce leaves and arrange the Tabbouleh on top of them.

This is the original recipe from my classmate, Mehmet, who is from Lebanon.

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Don’t 'Bulgur' Me

In the U.S., bulgur isn’t as commonly used as say brown rice.

However, in Turkey and in the Middle East, this hearty, nutty grain is quite popular. In the states, you might have tried it in the classic Lebanese dish known as Tabouleh.

Bulgur comes from wheat kernels that have been par-boiled, dried and then crushed. Here, bulgur comes in two forms - finely ground (köftelik bulgur) or coarse ground (pilavlık bulgur). I’ve often eaten the grain here as a side dish of bulgur pilaf, cooked with tomato paste, onions and maybe green peppers, that accompanied a meat kebap. Bulgur also is used to make a variety of mezzes and main dishes such as çiğ köfte, içli köfte and ezogelin soup.

Before moving to Turkey, I had used bulgur to make a variety of soups, especially when I was on a high-fiber, low-fat kick for awhile. This nutritious grain has more fiber and protein than brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and barley. One cup (approx. 180 grams) of cooked bulgur contains 8 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, and only 150 calories.

But the other day I wanted to try making a Turkish recipe with bulgur called Bulgur Pilaf with Mushrooms (Mantarlı Bulgur Pilavlı). This recipe comes from a new cookbook I received as a gift and am currently reading called “The Dervish Table: The Sufi Culinary Culture and Table Manners” by Sahrap Soysal. It’s an interesting book and I’m learning more about the sacred role of food as well as the history of the cuisines eaten and cooked by the Sufis - a religious order of Muslims who represented the mystical dimension of Islam.

In the cookbook, Soysal writes “Eating pilaf from the same bowl, that meant unity and accord, was a widespread custom in the lodges.”

The bulgur recipe is quite simple and similar to making a rice pilaf. I, of course, adapted the recipe a bit to suit my tastes. I served it as a side-dish with dijon mustard-yogurt chicken breasts for dinner.

Instead of boring rice or over-rated cous cous, try using some bulgur next time in your kitchen.

Afiyet olsun!

Bulgur Pilaf with Mushrooms (Mantarlı Bulgur Pilavlı)
Adapted from “The Dervish Table” by Sahrap Soysal

Ingredients:
11/2 c. (330 g.) coarse bulgur, rinsed and strained
3 c.    (750 ml.) warm chicken or meat stock
2 T.+ olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped small
5-6 ea. cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 ea. small Turkish green pepper, chopped small
10 ea. (200 g.) small button mushrooms, sliced
TT salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh dill

1. In a 4-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and green pepper and saute’ for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute’ for a few more minutes.
3. Then, add the bulgur and cook for about 4 more minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Pour in the warm stock. Season with a little salt and pepper, and stir again.
5. Cover the pot with a lid, and cook until the pilaf has absorbed all the liquid, about 15 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat. Let the pilaf rest for five minutes before serving.
7. Taste the pilaf and adjust the seasonings as needed. Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the pilaf and garnish with several sprigs of fresh dill.

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Making My First Turkish Güveç

One phrase I’ve heard recently here in Turkey is: “Go for the history, but stay for the food.”

This statement couldn’t be more accurate.

I’ve had a blast exploring the lively streets of Istanbul searching for new food to try. Yesterday, for a mid-afternoon snack I tried a different type of borek. This one was more like a flaky flatbread pastry filled with the typical Turkish feta-like cheese.

Warm bread filled with cheese – what’s not to enjoy?

As I’ve told some close friends back home, I want to eat my way across Turkey. I also want to learn how to cook traditional foods.

I recently found some Turkish recipes for güveç which is a casserole cooked in an earthenware dish. My recipe searches yielded several results for ones made with chicken, beef, lamb, seafood and/or vegetables.

A little history excerpted from “The Oxford Companion to Food” by Alan Davidson:

“Gyuvech is the Bulgarian name for a kind of earthenware casserole or the dish cooked in it. The name comes from the Turkish word güveç, which has the same meaning. The casserole is fairly shallow with a large surface area allowing for maximum evaporation. It comes round or oval and lidless…These vessels are found all over the Balkans are used for cooking almost anything of a savoury nature, including fish as well as meat, poultry, and game dishes.”

I have seen small, round clay güveç dishes sold in some shops, but I haven’t actually seen this dish on any restaurant menus yet. I decided to use my large Le Creuset pot we received as a wedding gift to make my own version of a güveç made with chicken and sucuk.

I’d compare the güveç to the American crock pot dish. It’s an opportunity to throw together some vegetables, meat, spices and perhaps a starch like potatoes or rice. Let the pot slowly simmer to allow the meat to get tender and the juices to mingle. A little while later you have a pot of aromatic goodness!

My first-time güveç tasted full of spices and spiciness from the sucuk. Leftovers had even more of a kick. The bulgur (which could be substituted with long-grain rice) soaked up the meat juices. The dates added a hint of sweetness. 

All in all – it was a good combination.

Making a güveç is a great way to use up some of this season’s hearty vegetables. Try experimenting with different combinations and let me know how it turns out.

Afiyet Olsun!

Chicken Güveç with Dates and Sucuk

(Adapted from “Turquoise: A chef’s travels in Turkey” by Greg and Lucy Malouf)

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2          oz.       unsalted butter

1          T.         olive oil

2          ea.        red onions, cut into thick slices

4          ea.        garlic cloves, sliced

4          ea.        long, green chilies, seeded and diced

1          tsp.      ground cumin

1          tsp.      ground cinnamon

2          ea.        tomatoes, seeded and diced

2          ea.        carrots, peeled and sliced

2          oz.       coarse bulgur, washed

12-16   oz.       chicken stock

1          ea.        cinnamon stick

3          ea.        star anise

Several sprigs  fresh thyme

TT                    salt and black pepper

1          T.         olive oil

2.5       lbs.       chicken legs and thighs, with bones and skin

2          oz.       sucuk, sliced (could try substituting Spanish chorizo)

6          ea.        dates, seeded and cut into quarters

1.         Preheat the oven to 400 F/205 C.

2.         In a large, heavy casserole dish, heat the butter and oil. Add the onions, garlic, chilies, cumin and cinnamon. Sweat the vegetables until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

3.         Next, add the tomatoes, carrots, bulgur, chicken stock (adding more later if needed), cinnamon stick, star anise and thyme. Bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat, cover, and gently simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat for a few minutes.

4.         Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.

5.         In a second pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and brown the chicken lightly on all sides. Add the sucuk and fry until golden brown. Remove the meat from the pan. Discard the oil.

6.         Transfer the chicken and sucuk to the casserole dish and tuck in the dates. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil and cook for about 20 minutes.

7.         Remove the dish from the oven. Taste the bulgur and stock and adjust seasonings as needed.

8.         Portion the güveç into individual bowls and serve immediately.

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