Winter Tabbouleh with Roasted Vegetables

I've always loved making tabbouleh as it's such a quick and easy salad. You may have seen the recipe I posted over the summer - with my own special ingredient!  Now that this year's tomatoes and cucumbers are coming to an end, I've been looking for ideas to make a winter version.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we do! 

The basic ingredients are just like any tabbouleh i.e. bulghur wheat with a mint, parsley and lemon dressing.  To me, colour is just as important as flavour.  It's got to look good as well as taste good which is why I chose a home grown butternut squash and some freshly picked green rocket and added bright red and yellow peppers and a red onion too.  Other roasted vegetables such as aubergines or courgettes could be used instead and baby spinach leaves used in place of rocket.

Ingredients                                     Serves 4 - 6 

125g bulghur wheat
1 butternut squash
2 peppers (red and yellow)
1 red onion
A generous handful of fresh rocket
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + extra oil for roasting
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Method

First put the bulghur wheat in a bowl, pour over plenty of boiling water and leave to soak for about 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6.

Peel the butternut squash, then cut in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.   Cut into pieces approximately ½" (1 cm) square and place in a bowl with a tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper. 

Mix well,  then transfer to a large baking tray.

Slice the peppers and mix in a bowl with olive oil and seasoning as before, then  spread out on the baking tray alongside the squash (or on a separate tray). 

 
Repeat with the red onion, then place on a separate baking tray.

 

Now roast the vegetables in the oven until tender, turning occasionally to ensure they are evenly cooked.  The onions and peppers will probably take about 20 to 25 minutes whilst the butternut squash will need longer, usually 35 to 40 minutes.  The vegetables should be tender but not brown and crispy.

Meanwhile make your dressing by whisking together the olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl. Then add the finely chopped parsley and mint and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. 

      

Drain the bulghur wheat through a sieve and press with the back of a large spoon to remove excess water.

When your bulghur wheat has drained thoroughly, place in a large bowl and stir in the dressing.   Add the roasted vegetables and mix together gently.  Check seasoning. 

Finally, just before serving,  tear up the rocket leaves and stir into the salad.

This salad can be made well in advance. I often soak the bulghur wheat,  add the dressing, then leave in the fridge till needed.  I think the flavour improves with keeping and then you can roast your vegetables sometime when you've got the oven on.

Butternut Squash Soup

I'm a great fan of butternut squash and even started growing my own in the garden last year.  With the intense colour of sunshine,  it brightens up any plate whether served in slices and sauteed in olive oil, stuffed and baked in the oven or diced in a risotto.  For sheer intensity of flavour, dazzling colour and minimal preparation, you can't beat a lovely roasted butternut squash soup.

This recipe is simplicity itself. The squash, onion and garlic are all baked in the oven with olive oil and thyme before being pureed in a food processor and diluted with some vegetable stock. The result is a truly delicious soup with a soft luscious texture and superb natural sweetness!   And did I mention the colour?

Ingredients                   Serves 4

I medium butternut squash (approx 1 kg/2lbs)
1 large onion
5 cloves garlic
8 - 10 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 tbsp olive oil
1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 300ml boiling water
fresh parsley to garnish
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas Mark 6.
 
Cut the squash lengthways and remove the seeds and any stringy bits but leave the skin on.  Cut into chunks and arrange in a single layer with the cut side upwards in a large baking dish.
Leaving the skin on the onion and garlic too, cut the onion into quarters and together with the garlic cloves, place in between the squash.

(Five garlic cloves may sound rather a lot but, when it's baked slowly in the oven, garlic becomes soft and gooey and mild in flavour)

Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and place the thyme sprigs on top. Season with salt and pepper. 

Cover the dish with foil and bake for an hour or so until the vegetables are tender.  Test for softness with a sharp knife and, if the squash still feels hard, give it another 15 to 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and leave for a few minutes until cool enough to handle or until you are ready to make the soup.

Using a spoon, scrape the squash from the skin and place in a food processor.

Discard the outer layers of the onion and remove the sprigs of thyme.  Squeeze the garlic cloves between your fingers and add the soft garlic puree to the processor with the cooked onion wedges.

Blend until smooth and then transfer the pureed vegetable mixture to a large pan.   Gradually add 300ml hot stock or enough to make a smooth soup.  If it's too thick, just add some water.

Reheat the soup gently, check the seasoning, then ladle into bowls.  Garnish with a little chopped fresh parsley.