What I'm cooking~
Lemon Herb Bulgur Pilaf
With warmer weather setting in, I like to cook lighter meals. Summer is also when we enjoy more vegetarian and vegan dinners, which this one is. I adapted this recipe from one I found on Reddit that was posted by a native of Lebanon. We love it. (And it makes ample use of the herb garden I keep on the balcony during the warmer months.)
With warmer weather setting in, I like to cook lighter meals. Summer is also when we enjoy more vegetarian and vegan dinners, which this one is. I adapted this recipe from one I found on Reddit that was posted by a native of Lebanon. We love it. (And it makes ample use of the herb garden I keep on the balcony during the warmer months.)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups bulgur
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrot
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ cup lightly packed chopped fresh dill
- ¼ cup lightly packed chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup lightly packed chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts
- Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook over medium-low, stirring often, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add bulgur, turmeric, and cumin and stir until the bulgur is well coated, about 1 minute.
- Add broth, carrot, ginger and salt and bring to a boil, stirring. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until all the broth is absorbed and there are indentations in the surface of the bulgur, about 15 minutes. (Do not stir the pilaf during this time.) Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Gently stir in the dill, mint, parsley, and lemon juice. Serve topped with walnuts. (To toast chopped walnuts, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. )
What I'm reading~
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
Gabrielle Zevin
I've not actually started it yet, but it's next on my list. It's in keeping with my effort to read books that seem to be along the lines of the "new thing" I'm toying with myself. Except that the protagonist here appears to be a grumpy bookstore owner, and my protagonist is a grumpy lingerie salesclerk. And I don't have a toddler as the protagonist's sidekick. I have a middle-aged has-been. And there's no mystery—regardless of its significance—in my story. But it is a little quirky. In any event, this book sounds like it has a lot of heart, which is something I hope to put into my story, too. And it looks to be a very good read. Which, really, is all any reader—or writer—hopes to find in her book.
What I'm watching~
Sheltand
So ever since Election Day, we've been planning our expatriation. (Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyone who's read me reasonably well is familiar with my politics. Anyone who's still my friend on Facebook really knows my politics. Just be glad I'm finally able to rein in my profanity these days. Mostly.) At the top of our list is Newfoundland, Malta, and Scotland. But we've now expanded that last to include the Shetlands. (We'd go as far as the Orkneys, but I worry about wireless service and Indian takeaway, both super important considerations.) Anyway, we've only watched one episode so far, and I'm ready to start packing. It's moody and atmospheric in the same way favorites Hinterland and Wallander are, but not nearly as depressing. Great story, compelling writing, extremely nice to look at, and really terrific characters. That's all I need for a good show.
MasterChef Junior
Like my politics, it's also no secret if you've read my books or Facebook posts that I love to cook. I'm not a great cook, but I'm not bad, and I love to do my own thing. Yes, I look for recipes, but I mostly scoff at them. "One clove of garlic? Puh-leez. Half a head maybe. For starters." Or "A teaspoon of cumin? Are you out of your mind? That needs at least a tablespoon!" That kind of thing. So I naturally love to watch cooking shows. I never scoff at those, because those people are seriously good at what they do. And the kids in this show are amazing. Yeah, I won a blue ribbon at the Kentucky State Fair for my chocolate chip cookies when I was ten, but this? They made Beef Wellington, y'all! Beef Wellington! And sushi. And macaroons. That's world class cooking before they're even old enough to drive to Williams-Sonoma. Dang.
What I'm listening to~
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Blind Pilot - "And then Like Lions" My latest favorite band. Old 97's - "Graveyard Whistling" On their way to becoming my latest favorite band. Perez Prado - "Havana, 3 a.m." Summer is coming. There must be good Latin music in the car. Ultra-Lounge - "Tiki Sampler" Like I said, Summer is coming. Dude. |
