Bulgur and Herbs with Semi-Dried Tomatoes

Have you ever had an unexpected gift land on your lap?  It could have been a tangible or non-tangible gift.  Regardless, it brings you joy, happiness and a puts a huge smile on your face.  Several months ago, I received an email from the publishing company – Penguin Random House asking if I would like to review a new cookbook “What Katie Ate on the Weekend” from Katie Quinn Davies.  The first thing I thought, this is a gift.

I have been a long time fan of her blog What Katie Ate, photography and recipes.  I live for my weekends, so why not add a new cookbook with some new divine recipes to my repertoire of weekend treats. Katie is a Dublin, Ireland native and now resides in Sydney, Australia and spends her time as a freelance commercial photographer specializing in food and lifestyle themes.  In addition, she is a cookbook author, recipe developer and writer. Her style is rustic, authentic and extremely visual with a twist of whimsy.  I am impressed that she is now a second time author and I only see an upward trend for this extremely talented gal.

When the book arrived at my office, I could hardly stand waiting to open it and browse through the stunning images and mouthwatering recipes.  It was certainly a challenge to narrow down my selection for my blog post.  I was intrigued with her many recipes and especially for “Mandarin, Pistachio and Poppy-Seed Muffins”, “Roast Pork with Cider and Maple Syrup”, “Apple and Blackberry Hazelnut Crumble Squares”  and the “Chorizo and Tomato Tart”.

However, I kept returning to the “Bulgur and Herbs with Semi-Dried Tomatoes”.  I was amazed with the process of drying the tomatoes and knew the natural sweetness of the tomato would simply explode in your mouth and make the dish simply supreme.  I was correct in my assessment.  I have to admit, that I added my own twist to the recipe by tossing the dish in straightforward vinaigrette that elevated the flavors by adding a layer of taste essence to the dish.

Bulgur and Herbs with Semi-Dried Tomatoes

6 Plum Tomatoes, Quartered

Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Olive Oil

1 Cup Course Bulgur

½ Cup Pumpkin Seeds

¾ Cup Blanched Slivered Almonds

1 Cup Mint, finely Chopped

1 Cup Basil, finely Chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the tomatoes on the sheet and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 2 hours or until semi-dried and just starting to brown around the edges.

Place the bulgur in a bowl and our in 2 ½ cups of cold water.  Set aside for one hour, then drain, rinse and squeeze out any excess water.  Set aside until needed.

Scatter the pumpkin seeds and slivered blanch almonds on another baking sheet, then place in the oven with the tomatoes and bake for 12 minutes or until lightly toasted.  Remove and set aside to cool. 

In a bowl, add the prepared bulgur, herbs, pumpkin seeds, almonds and toss with the vinaigrette. (Recipe below)  Place on a serving platter and garnish with the semi-dried tomatoes on top.  Sprinkle a bit more mint and basil on top if desired.

Vinaigrette

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 Teaspoon Salt

¾ Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Add all of the above ingredients to a large mason jar and shake well. Set aside until ready to toss with the other ingredients.

Reprinted by arrangement with Avery Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright ©Katie Quinn Davies, 2015.