Learn with recipes: walnuts

Showing posts with label walnuts. Show all posts

Monday, March 3, 2014

Bulgur with Green Lentils and Walnuts Cevizli Bat

Bulgur with Green Lentils and Walnuts is a traditional recipe from a Central Anatolian city, Tokat. In Tokats local cusine dishes with grape leaves have an important role, and this recipe is a good example. Bulgur with Green Lentils and Walnuts is a bit like kisir, but has a nuttier taste with walnuts and lentils.

1 cup fine bulgur
1 cup hot water
1 cup cooked green lentils (~1/2 cup dry green lentils would make 1 cup cooked lentils)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2-3 green onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 green pepper or 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp or less red pepper flakes
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil flakes
1 tsp dry mint flakes
1 tsp or less black pepper
salt
optional a couple of cherry tomatoes

grape leaves (if unavailable, lettuce would do)

-Put bulgur in a bowl and add hot water. Stir once, cover with a thick towel and wait until bulgur soaks all the water.
-If you have fresh grape leaves, boil some water and cook grape leaves for 2-3 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
-Add tomato paste to bulgur and mix it well with the back of a spoon or your hands until paste is homogeneously distributed.
-Add lentils.
-Add green onion, parsley, dill, tomatoes, green pepper, basil, mint, red pepper flakes, black pepper, walnut, and salt.
-Serve bulgur with lentils with grape leaves or lettuce. Put some in the middle of a leave, make a roll or a bundle and enjoy.

note: Although the traditional recipe doesnt ask for it, I love adding lemon to bulgur and lentils.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Roast Beef Salad Over Baby Greens Cranberries Red Onion Toasted Walnuts and Crumbled Maytag Blue Cheese

I was trying to think of something a bit different to make with the little piece of roast beef left over from Friday nights dinner. I decided it was about time for a dinner salad so I came up with this Roast Beef Salad over baby greens, cranberries, sliced red onion, toasted walnuts, crumbled Maytag blue cheese and garlic toasts.

I started by cuting the beef up into little cubes and placing them in a bowl with 2 celery stalks cut up into a small dice. I seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and tiny bit of cayenne pepper. Next, I combined about 2 tablespoons of sour cream and the same amount of mayonnaise, blended them well and poured it over the cubed roast beef and celery. Mix all together and refrigerator for several hours to allow the flavors to come together.

For the greens I washed and dried a mix of organic baby greens and placed them in a very large bowl with thinly sliced red onion, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries and crumbled blue cheese. I dressed it with red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Tossed it really well to combine and placed it on a plate as a bed for the roast beef salad. I topped it with a few spoonfulls of roast beef salad.

Brush olive oil on sliced french bread and place under the broiler. Watch closely and turn over on the other side so both get brown and crusty. When they are finished rub with a garlic clove and serve with the salad.