Week 4 - Bobbye's lunch

Fruit and Nut Tabouli

1 cup bulgur
2 ¼ cups boiling water
2 seedless oranges*
¼ cup lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup minced onion
½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 ½ cups chopped parsley
½ cup chopped mint
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
¼ cup currants**
½ teaspoon salt, or more, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

* I used 4 clementines
** I used golden raisins

Put the bulgur in a medium bowl. Pour boiling water over. Cover the bowl, and let the bulgur sit for 20 minutes. Drain

Meanwhile, section the oranges. Cut the sections in half, and add to the bulgur. Then add lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, onion, cucumber, parsley, mint, walnuts, and currants, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the tabouli at room temperature or warm.


Curried Lentil Stew

1 tablespoon oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 pinches ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into ¼ inch rounds
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
1¼ cup water
½ cup dried brown lentils
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
½ cup sherry
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

In a large saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown at the edges, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add carrot and potato, then water and lentils. Cover the pan, and let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sherry, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 5 -10 minutes more, until the potatoes and lentils are tender.

Serve the stew over mounds of millet or rice. Garnish with the cilantro.