Recipe: Bulghur Pilav

Recipe Source: Branca, Laura Ward.  Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant.  Simon and Schuster/Fireside, New York, 1990 p. 82

When we host Sunday dinners, I tend to have a few carbohydrate-heavy dishes on the menu.  The main reason for having these dinners in the first place is that we have a lot of people doing a lot of physical activity, and at least for my husband what he wants under those circumstances is .... well, carbs.  Carb dishes - pasta, rice, bulgur - can be stretched to feed a lot of people and tend to be fairly simple to prepare.  I made this for a Sunday dinner a few weeks ago, and brought the leftovers to a Labor Day cookout the next day.

Bulgur Pilaf (serves 20 as a side; approx. $0.15/serving)

2 onions, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

4 teaspoons dried basil

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

3 cups bulgur

2 cups warm water

Equipment:

• Saucepan with a lid

1. Warm the oil in the saucepan.
2. Saute the onions in the oil for a few minutes. 
3. Add the salt and pepper, basil, bay leaf and tarragon.  Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes. 
4. Add the bulgur and toast 2 minutes.
5. Add the water, cover and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to very low and let bulgur steam. 
7. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Comments

[Chris]

Hey! Quit using such "bulgur" language, there are children around! (ha ha ha)

I have a confession, I've never made anything with bulgur before but you've inspired me to try it. This sounds like a great alternative to rice or couscous.

[Joanne]

I adore carbs and feel like I am constantly carb-loading since I run so much, so I empathize with your husband. This pilaf looks like just the thing to satisfy my cravings.

[Fearless Kitchen]

Joanne - Thanks! I've been experimenting with different grains lately, and I really like bulgur.

Chris - That's exactly it. White rice and couscous have a low nutritional value, whereas bulgur is somewhat better for you. It's also got a great flavor of its own, which is more than I can say for couscous.