Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Fall salad helps ignore dogged summer
I was OK with 90+ degree days the first week or two of September. It was, after all, still summer. I didn’t like it, but I was OK with it.
But by the middle of last week when the temperature at my house was 97 degrees and my air conditioner had been running continuously for 15 hours, I got cranky.
And when I’m cranky, I don’t feel like cooking. But a girl’s gotta eat and my body is already craving the warm, comforting food of fall. So I compromised and made a warm grain salad.
I opted for quick-cooking bulgur, but quinoa or wild rice would be delicious too. And then I tossed the warm grains with baby spinach, chopped parsley, halved red grapes, slivered red onion, crumbles of feta cheese and a handful of roasted pistachios.
It hit the spot — the perfect combination and contrast of warm grains, bitter greens, sweet grapes, crunchy nuts, piquant onion and creamy, salty cheese.
When the weather finally cools off I plan to make it again but will add some roasted butternut squash or sweet potato to the mix and maybe use pecans in place of the pistachios.
The recipe as written makes one main-course serving, but it scales easily if you want to make more.
Warm Grain Salad With Grapes, Pistachios and Feta
¼ cup bulgur (cracked wheat) Salt
2 cups baby spinach Small handful fresh parsley
leaves, chopped
Very thinly sliced red onion, to
taste (see note)
10 to 12 seedless red grapes,
halved
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbed 2 tablespoons pistachios 2 tablespoons favorite vinaigrette
Cook bulgur with a pinch
uncorked@thewinecenter.com
of salt according to package directions.
In a large bowl, combine the warm bulgur, spinach, parsley, onion, grapes, feta and pistachios. Drizzle with dressing. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving.
Note: I like to soak sliced red onion in cold water for a few minutes to help remove some of its harshness.