Apricot & Zucchini Tabbouleh

These days, I've found myself second guessing what I'm thinking before the words come out of my mouth. Not because I'm trying to be more respectful (although that should be everyone's goal at all times because there is no down side) or more mindful, I'm just worried that what I say is an American term and no one will know what I'm talking about. Much like when I made banana bread for my flatmates, I sometimes have to explain things that I never had to explain before. It's been an interesting lesson in how to describe something completely foreign to another person.

This week, the term was 'potluck'. It turns out that this is a completely American term and no one (English, French, German, Spanish) uses it outside of North America. As defined by Google:

Note the note about how it means something different in the North American region. Well, we had a potluck (and an English lesson) at work this week. The weather in London has actually been on par with east coast summers: hot. And unlike the east coast, air conditioning is not common. So this cool substitute for a pasta salad seemed like a good idea.

The majority of the time it takes to make this summer tabbouleh is spent on the chopping in assembly. Otherwise, you're simply cooking some bulgar wheat (similar to cooking rice or lentils) and roasting some zucchini (courgette, if you will). Then apricots, lemon juice, green onions, parsley, chopped walnuts, garlic and balsamic are all mixed together with the cooked ingredients and you're ready to go!

 

Simple, right? Tasty? Definitely. Add this to your picnic/potluck/BBQ arsenal and you'll be deemed a genius. Or just brilliant!

 

Recipe from Joy the Baker

• 1 1/2 cup bulgar wheat
• 3 cups water
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced
• Olive oil for drizzling, black pepper for sprinkling
• 3 small apricots, pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Juice from 1 lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Chop the zucchini and spread on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or foil for easier clean-up). Drizzle with olive oil and black pepper. Roast for 10 minutes until slightly shriveled and then turn over the zucchini pieces to continue roasting for another 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, add bulgar wheat and water to a large pot. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered until all the water is absorbed. Then, remove from heat.
3. While the zucchini and bulgar wheat are cooking, chop the apricots, walnuts, green onions, parsley and garlic.
4. Once the zucchini is roasted, allow to cool slightly before mixing into the cooled and cooked bulgar wheat.
5. Stir in the fixins (all the chopped things) and add the balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Stir until juices are evenly distributed throughout. If the mixture seems sticky or dry, you can add some olive oil.
6. Serve chilled!