2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup bulgur wheat
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. salt
3 cloves minced garlic
2 cucumbers peeled and course chopped
3 Roma tomatoes seeded and course chopped
3 scallions fine chopped on the bias
½ cup lemon juice
2/3 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped mint
1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
½ cup toasted pine nuts(optional)\
Marinated asparagus for garnish
fresh thyme sprigs
Bulgar Wheat Preparation
Place the bulgar wheat in a large heat proof bowl and set aside.Using a large sauce pan, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Add the minced garlic, thyme, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer the mixture for three minutes and immediately pour the seasoned stock over the bulgar wheat. Cover the bowl and allow to sit until all of the liquid has been absorbed into the wheat.
Once the bulgar wheat is ready, remove the cover and fluff with a fork to quicken the cooling process. The wheat should be at room temperature before adding the balance of ingredients.
Basic Salad Preparation
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the seasoned bulgar wheat and toss to combine. All of the additional ingredients should be consistently mixed thru- out the bulgar. Once again, cover the salad mixture and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Remove the chilled salad from the refrigerator and spoon on to a display piece. Garnish with marinated asparagus and fresh thyme sprigs.
Yield:6 servings
Preparation time:20 minutes active, 6 hours passive
Cook time: 10 minutes
