RERUN Episode 10: Date-and-Cinnamon Bulgur Pilaf, Quick-Pickled Green Beans, and Macerated Strawberries

This week, I make an easy pilaf with Middle Eastern flavors: dates and cinnamon, plus salty feta. Green beans pickled with dill and garlic are on the side, and for dessert, we have a quick trick for making strawberries taste their best. It’s all quite quick, and ideal for hot weather, when you don’t want the stove on for too long.

Shopping List

* Butter or olive oil (at least 2 tbsp)* Feta cheese (about 1/4 pound, or less, depending on your taste)* 1 medium onion* 2-4 cloves garlic* Bunch parsley* Bunch dill (or dried dill, if you happen to have that)* Green beans (several big handfuls, about 3/4 lb.)* Strawberries (6 or so big ones)* Large dates (about 6)* Ground cinnamon and/or cinnamon sticks* Ground allspice and/or whole berries* Pinch red pepper flake* Pine nuts or almonds (at least 1/4 cup)* Bulgur (no. 2 grind, ideally, about 1 1/2 cups)* Cider vinegar (at least 1/3 cup)* Balsamic vinegar (just 1 tsp)* Sugar (a pinch)* Honey (1/2 tsp)

Date-and-Cinnamon Bulgur Pilaf

Could’ve chopped that parsley a little finer, I suppose.

I got the basic idea for this pilaf from the excellent Moosewood Cookbook Cooks at Home, which I recommend as a good beginner cookbook even if you don’t happen to be vegetarian. (See my blog, Roving Gastronome, for more about what’s great about the book.) In that cookbook, the base is precooked rice, and that works very well. I just like the chewy texture of bulgur, and it cooks very quickly. You can use whatever combination of ground or whole spices you happen to have.

For about 4 servings

1-2 tbsp butter or olive oil

1 medium onion

Pinch salt

6 large dates

Large pinch ground cinnamon, plus 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks (optional)

Pinch ground allspice, plus 5 or 6 whole allspice berries (all optional)

1 1/2 cups bulgur (no. 2 grind, ideally)

2 1/4 cups water

Large handful pine nuts or almonds

Large handful parsley

Feta cheese, however much you like (goat cheese also works)

In a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, melt your butter or heat your olive oil over medium heat. Slice up your onion and toss it in, along with a generous pinch of salt. While the onions are softening up, slice up your dates into smallish bite-size pieces, then toss them in with the onions. Add the cinnamon and allspice and stir. Once the onions are soft and translucent, pour in the bulgur and stir to coat with oil (add a tiny bit more if you need to). Then pour in the water, give a good stir and put the lid on. Let the mix come to a boil, then turn down to the lowest simmer.

While the bulgur is simmering, chop your parsley coarsely. In heavy skillet over high heat, toast the pine nuts until just golden brown; immediately remove from the hot pan when they’re done. Set out your feta (or goat) cheese.

Check your bulgur after about 10 minutes. You want it to be chewy, and all of the water should be absorbed–if it’s still crunchy, put the lid back on for another minute or two. A lot depends on the weight of your pot and the flame on your stove. It’s OK if the bottom layer gets a bit dried and stuck to the bottom of the pot, but be careful not to let it scorch. If the bulgur is sticking and the texture is good, but the whole mix is still a bit moist, turn off the heat, fluff the bulgur up with a fork and leave the lid off for a few minutes, to let some of the steam dissipate.