Kitchen favorites: bulgur

I absolutely adore Middle Eastern food. I really cannot get enough of it. I'm trying to incorporate many of the healthier aspects into my family's diet, and I've found that it isn't as hard as I had imagined. Well, except for the lamb. I love, love, love it, but that red meat is so blasted bad for me!

One easy way to get some much-needed fiber in our diets is with bulgur wheat. It's available at some grocery stores and certainly at Middle Eastern markets. (If there's one near you and you've never been, what are you waiting for? Go. Now!) In addition to being high in fiber, it's incredibly low in fat. It is, however, relatively high in calories. But a little can be very filling. The best part, however, is that it is super-easy to cook. Just add some boiling water or chicken broth, then let it stand for 30 minutes to an hour. Done!

Bulgur is used in many applications. My personal favorites are in tabbouleh and kibbeh. Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad full of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and topped with a delicious lemon-olive oil dressing. It certainly can be varied by taste. Some people add lots of vegetables, such as carrots, bell peppers, olives or even artichokes. Lean meats also make a delicious addition. Chicken, for instance, can turn a delicious side dish into a filling lunch.

Kibbeh, for those who know little to nothing about it, is the Lebanese national dish. It's a meat dish, made with ground or finely chopped lamb or beef, bulgur and onion. It can be baked, fried, stewed or raw. It can even be made vegetarian. It is probably my favorite Middle Eastern dish, and I cannot encourage you enough to go find some if you've never had it!

Bulgur is ground three ways: coarse, medium and fine. I prefer medium grind for almost everything I make. Coarse is delicious in salads, but I find it too tough for kibbeh. Bulgur is a great ingredient for storing in a pantry or freezer. It will keep for a long time if it's placed in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

This recipe I'm suggesting is certainly inspired by tabbouleh. It's a fantastic summer salad. I made it for Father's Day and got compliments from nearly everyone (all except my picky 4-year-old). Try it for yourself. I bet you'll love it!

This recipe is from the July 2009 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

Minty Bulgur Wheat and Peach Salad

2 cups boiling water
1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups diced, peeled fresh peach (about 2 medium)
2 cups diced, peeled jicama
1 cup finely minced fresh mint

Combine boiling water and bulgur in a large bowl; let stand for 1 hour or until water is absorbed. Combine juices, oil, honey, salt and pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Add peach, jicama and mint to bulgur; toss to combine. Drizzle dressing mixture over bulgur mixture; toss to coat. Chill 1 hour.

Cook's notes: This recipe can be made a day ahead; if you do, I suggest adding a squeeze or two of juice, or a drizzle of oil, if not another batch of the dressing. The bulgur sops up all the liquid as it sits, so it can be dry. If you don't like (or can't find) jicama, cucumbers or celery might be a good substitute. Celery has that great crunch, but the flavor is a bit more pronounced. Cucumber has the more mellow flavor, but the crunch isn't the same. I would also suggest experimenting with summer fruits. Apricots would be particularly delicious!

Must-not-see TV

Back in the olden days -- the mid-1990s -- while looking for ways to get out of doing my required reading for college (think development of political thought) I stumbled on something that I never expected I would enjoy -- a cooking show. It was on the Discovery Channel, and it featured chefs at famous restaurants preparing a signature dish. The chefs didn't always speak English (way cool!), and the show featured three of them in a half-hour show. I was smitten -- and doing poorly in a few of my classes.

Several years later, I was elated to learn that my cable system was including Food Network in its lineup. I quickly fell in love The network was full of cooking shows, from which I learned many new recipes and techniques. And I liked most of the chefs. My favorite was, yes, Martha Stewart. But I also liked Emeril Lagasse. And Sara Moulton. And Jacques Torres, Wolfgang Puck and Ming Tsai. And I love, love, loved "Iron Chef."

But it changed (I personally blame it on Emeril's sitcom). Whatever it was, many of my favorite chefs were gone. Their replacements mostly made me cringe. I'm not sure why, but I just didn't connect with many of the male hosts. Some (this means you, Tyler Florence) had to ride to the rescue of damsel in distress. And others were sort of know-it-alls that just annoyed me constantly.

As for the women, there was certainly a new type of chef: sex symbol. Some of the presenters (Giada de Laurentiis and Sandra Lee) seemed like perfectly fine chefs. Others (indeed, Rachael Ray) made me want to pull my hair out. I found their low-cut blouses completely unreasonable. I wanted to scream at them, "You're sauteeing! Button up!" In addition, they were too skinny -- it seemed to me the only thing they ate all day was the "mmm, this is delicious!" taste they took for the camera.

Then there was the most sacreligious program -- "Iron Chef America." That Bobby Flay was on it. Ick. And I'm not overly crazy about Mario Batali. Not even the addition of Masaharu Morimoto couldn't save it in my eyes. It was exactly the same. Just Americanized. Ugh. I was ready to write the whole network off.

Almost.

I discovered two chefs whose programs I really liked. To this day, Jamie Oliver and Ina Garten keep me coming back. "Jamie at Home" (and all his other programs) and "Barefoot Contessa" are just what I originally loved about the network. I love how both chefs make cooking look so easy. And I think it's wonderful how Jamie shows -- not just talks about -- why finding top-quality products from local farmers, butchers, cheesemakers, etc., makes a world of difference in home cooking. I've used Ina's recipes and entertaining tips several times. I so adore their shows that I even put them on my DVR.

If anyone were to ask me where to turn for really great cooking programs, I would quickly tell them to head to PBS. It's the home of the America's Test Kitchens (my absolute, hands-down favorite). But Jacques Torres' program is excellent. And I think Lidia Bastianich and Joanne Weir have great shows, too. And once in a while, you might even catch Julia Child. For me, this is must-see TV.

This recipe is from Ina Garten's book "Barefoot Contessa at Home."

Stuffed Cabbage

For sauce:
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions (about 2)
2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes and their juices
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 large head Savoy or green cabbage, including outer leaves

For filling:
2 1/2 lb. ground chuck
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucer, add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, raisins, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove the entire core of the cabbage with a paring knife. Immerse the head of cabbage in the boiling water for a few minutes, peeling off each leaf with tongs as soon as it's flexible. Set the leaves aside. Depending on the size of each leaf, you will need at least 14 leaves.

For the filling, in a large bowl combine the ground chuck, eggs, onion, bread crumbs, rice, thyme, salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of the sauce to the meat mixture and mix lightly with a fork.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To assemble, place 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Remove the hard triangular rib from the base of each cabbage leaf with a small paring knife. Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of filling in an oval shape near the rib edge of each leaf and roll up toward the outer edge, tucking the sides in as you roll. Place half the cabbage rolls, seam side down, over the sauce. Add more sauce and cabbage rolls alternately until you've placed all the cabbage rolls in the pot. Pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover the dish tightly with the lid and bake for 1 hour, or until the meat is cooked and the rice is tender. Serve hot.

Cook's notes: I usually cut the olive oil down to 1 tablespoon to save fat and calories. I've had no problems doing this. I also substitute ground turkey for the ground chuck, and I prefer that. I've found that I need far more than 14 leaves; I usually need more than 20. The recipe says this serves six, but the servings are huge! I cut it in half and have leftovers for days!

Food porn

About six or seven years ago, I began subscribing to Bon Appetit magazine. I first noticed it standing in a line at the grocery store. The gorgeous photo on the cover -- it was an apple pie, I think -- got me to toss it in my basket. Then was the amazing deal for subscribers -- just $1 an issue! Who could turn down that deal?

Soon after my subscription began, I became hooked on these gorgeous photos. And the recipes that accompanied them to die for. And they all sounded so delicious. I loved how the recipes' authors would come up with the most unusual flavor combinations. And again with those photos. The photographers could make even the seafood dishes look delicious to me.

My voice of reason -- my husband -- soon started to point out some of the magazine's flaws to me. Many of the recipes were terribly unhealthy. Often they called for ingredients that were horrible for those of us watching our weight. Cream. Red meat. Butter. Bacon. Cheese. Sugar. My head started spinning just thinking about it. And my heart was saddened by the reality of what my husband was telling me.

However, the longer I stick with my diet, the more resolute I become to not give up Bon Appetit. I now liken it to, yes, pornography. It's fun to just look -- and even fantasize about that cover recipe. Even the recipes without photos conjure up delicious dreams. It's not just the recipes, though. The glossy ads promote high-end products that I would give an arm to have in my kitchen. And other kitchen-related things, such as beautiful china and linens, are usually presented.

But instead of giving up my fantasies, I often try to make healthier versions of those tasty treats. A barbecue sauce or rub can always be tried on chicken. And desserts can be attempted with fat-free milk and egg whites.

The results don't always succeed. But it's fun to fantasize -- and to look forward to the next month's issue of food porn.

This recipe is from an issue of, obviously, Bon Appetit. It's certainly one I don't make often, but it is truly a treat.

Lamb and raisin pies with pine nuts and mint

1 1/2 lb. ground lamb
2 cups chopped onion
1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans diced, peeled tomatoes, drained
3/4 cups raisins
1 tsp. ground allspice
3 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 (17 1/4 oz.) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 egg, beaten

Saute lamb in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking up meat with fork, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer meat to plate. Pour off all but 1 tbsp. drippings from skillet. Add onion and garlic; saute until tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Return lamb to skillet. Add tomatoes, raisins and allspice, and simmer until juices evaporate, about 5 minutes. Stir in pine nuts and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Cool.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet on floured work surface to 14-inch square. Cut into four 7-inch squares. Repeat with second puff pastry sheet. Beginning at one corner of each pastry square, place 1/8 of lamb mixture on half of square, forming triangle. Brush pastry edges with egg. Fold pastry over filling, forming triangle. Press edges to seal. Place pies on two ungreased baking sheets. Bake until pies are puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Bon Appetit doesn't only feature unhealthy recipes. They also publish healthier dishes, and I have been pleased with many.

This recipe is from an issue of Bon Appetit.

Chicken Saute Provencale

4 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can diced, peeled tomatoes
3 3 x 1/2-inch strips orange zest
2 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. paprika
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes with their juices, zest, oregano, bay leaves and paprika and cook until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

Heat remaining oil in heavy, large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Rewarm sauce and spoon over chicken.

Up for the challenge

A few weeks ago, a colleague at the newspaper told me he and his girlfriend had subscribed to Cook's Illustrated magazine. I congratulated him on the excellent choice and asked him how he liked the recipes so far. He told me they hadn't made any but would keep me up to date.

About a week or so later, he told me his girlfriend wanted him to make her something from the first issue, and he wanted my opinion. I went home, got mine out and quickly made a recommendation: Maple-glazed pork tenderloin. Not only did the recipe sound delicious, but it appeared very easy. I gave him my suggestion, and he told me his girlfriend had picked the same one. He, however, favored the grilled salmon. I then asked him to let me know how his dinner turned out.

After another week or so, I inquired about the tenderloin. He told me that dinner was not going to happen. Curiosity got the best of me, so I continued my questioning.

"Who has maple syrup and molasses in their pantry?" he asked.

"I do!" I asserted.

"And who has cornstarch at home?" he further asked. "And what's with the rimmed baking sheet?"

I was starting to get annoyed with him. "I do!" I said. "And I'm sure you have a rimmed baking sheet."

Then came his big question to me: "Well, did you make it?" I 'fessed up. No, I hadn't made it. And actually, I was out of maple syrup and molasses -- but in my defense, I often have them on hand. So as I saw it, the ball was technically in my court.

So last weekend, I got out my Cook's Illustrated. And I was determined to make the pork tenderloin. So off we went to the grocery store to get the molasses, maple syrup and pork.

After a relatively easy hour or so of cooking, the pork tenderloin was on the table. I was right -- it was easy, and better yet, it was delicious. Even my picky 4-year-old ate two or three slices. She called it chicken, but it didn't matter to me as long as she enjoyed it.

This truly is an easy meal to make. A salad, or vegetable such as baked sweet potatoes or sauteed carrots, would be delicious. Add some French bread, and you've got an easy, delicious meal. So, to my colleague -- you owe it to your girlfriend and to yourself to hunt down some cornstarch, molasses and maple syrup. You won't regret it.

This recipe is from the May & June 2009 issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine.

Maple-glazed pork tenderloin

3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup light or mild molasses
2 tbsp. bourbon or brandy
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. table salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 pork tenderloins (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb. each)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. whole-grain mustard

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir 1/2 cup maple syrup, molasses, bourbon, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper together in 2-cup liquid measure; set aside. Whisk cornstarch, sugar, salt and black pepper in small bowl until combined. Transfer cornstarch measure to rimmed baking sheet. Pat tenderloins dry with paper towels, then roll in cornstarch mixture until evenly coated on all sides. Thoroughly pat off excess cornstarch mixture.

Heat oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Reduce heat to medium and place both tenderloins in skillet, leaving at least 1-inch in between. Cook until well browned on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer tenderloins to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.

Pour off excess fat from skillet and return to medium heat. Add syrup mixture to skillet, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon, and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes. Transfer 2 tbsp. glaze to small bowl and set aside. Using remaining glaze, brush each tenderloin with about 1 tbsp. glaze. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of tenderloins reaches about 130 degrees, 12 to 20 minutes. Brush each tenderloin with another tablespoon of glaze and continue to roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 135 to 140 degrees, about 2 to 4 minutes longer. Remove tenderloins from oven and brush each with remaining glaze; let rest, uncovered, 10 minutes.

While tenderloins rest, stir remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup and mustard into reserved 2 tbsp. glaze. Brush each tenderloin with 1 tbsp. mustard glaze. Transfer meat to cutting board and slice into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Serve, passing extra mustard glaze.

Cook's notes: Make sure to line your baking sheet (the one below the baking rack) with aluminum foil. The glaze is super-sticky, and it is tough to clean! Keep the glaze warm, as it gets thick and tough to spread when it cools. A few seconds in the microwave will do the trick.

Although I haven't tried them, Cook's has offered two alternate versions.

Maple-glazed pork tenderloin with smoked paprika and ginger: Follow above recipe, substituting dry sherry for bourbon and 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika and 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger for cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper. Omit mustard.

Maple-glazed pork tenderloin with orange and chipotle: Follow above recipe, substituting 2 tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate for 2 tbsp. molasses. Omit cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper and add 2 small, finely minced chipotle chiles plus 2 tsp. adobo sauce to initial maple syrup mixture. Omit mustard.

Tips for the newlyweds

One of my dearest friends in the world got married Saturday. Annette was the last of my college roommates; in fact, most of my favorite college memories include her. I was thrilled when she announced her engagement, and I was saddened when tight finances made it impossible for us to make it back to North Dakota for the celebration.

Her wedding, though, got me thinking back to my days as a newlywed (it's been 10 years; I can hardly believe it myself). I wasn't nearly as good a cook then as now. I was just discovering how much I enjoyed cooking, but as with all new things, there certainly was a learning curve. Fortunately, Aaron was (and still is) willing to try almost anything I made -- even when it wasn't good.

My mother had given me some recipes that I had always enjoyed, but I was eager to try new things. We had received a beautiful cookbook as a wedding gift. However, it didn't last long -- our beloved dog chewed it up not long after we adopted him. But I refused to let that deter me. I wanted to start our own menu of favorites and/or go-to recipes when that inevitable "what's for dinner?" question came up.

So I sat the other day thinking about this very thing when I had an idea: a list of recipes that every couple should have. My first thought, kinda obviously, was meatloaf. However, this wouldn't work for Annette. She's a vegetarian, and I wanted to give her something she could make for her husband -- or better yet, something he could make for her.

My first idea was for pancakes. It's an ideal recipe for many reasons. It's easy, you can make them for more than just breakfast, and they whip up quickly -- especially after a long night with an infant who refuses to go to sleep. My mom gave me a recipe she has used for years. It is delicious, but for some reason my pancakes never turn out quite as good as hers. I discovered another one a few years ago, and it has turned into my favorite. Check out the recipe below. One tip: If you can find passion fruit syrup (it's hard unless you're in Hawaii), it makes an incredible topper for these pancakes.

Another idea I had was stir-fry. It's one of my favorite meals, but for many reasons (most involve our picky 4-year-old) we don't make them often. To me, stir-fry is a dish you don't really need a recipe for. I've found lots of good bottled sauces to top stir-fried vegetables, meats, tofu, whatever you want to include. Just make some rice to go with it, and you've got a delicious vegetarian feast.

My third idea was a good pasta sauce. I can't tell you how many times I've made a big pot of sauce, then froze half of it. On those nights when I can't think of anything, a big bowl of spaghetti is only a few minutes away -- and it's better than almost any Italian restaurant. Just grab a bag of salad mix, and dinner's ready!

My next idea was soup -- it's a lot like the pasta sauce. Many are easily freezable, and some can be made in half-hour or so. And there are tons of options for vegetarian soups.

Lastly, every newlywed couple has to have a good dessert recipe. Something for dinner parties, or holidays, or birthdays and anniversaries, or just because. I would suggest an apple crisp (or any other kind of fruit, for that matter). Here's my reasoning: Pie crusts are hard and intimidating (that's a blog for another day), and it turns out that not everyone likes cake. Apple crisp, with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream -- I can't ever remember anyone telling me "no, thank you" to that.

There's my list. Congratulations again, Annette and Kelly. Here's wishing you all the happiness in the world!

This first recipe is from the 2003 book "Barefoot Contessa Family Style" by Ina Garten.

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
Butter
2 ripe bananas, plus extra for serving
Maple syrup

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined

Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on the top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

This is, without a doubt, the best recipe for pasta sauce I've ever had. It was from Aaron's Grandpa Pete.

Grandpa Pete's Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. ground hamburger or turkey, cooked and drained
5 small cans of tomato sauce (rinse out each can with water and add to pot)
1 (15 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
3 large carrots, shredded (optional)
2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tbsp. parsley
2 bay leaves
1 can mushrooms, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring all the ingredients to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Sauce will thicken. Remove bay leaves, then serve. Note: This sauce freezes beautifully!