Cook Like a Clerkenwell Chef | November/December

Sam and Sam Clark’s dishes at Moro and Morito have always drawn inspiration from the seasons. This zesty side dish is no exception: a midwinter twist on the famous Middle Eastern tabbouleh. The perfect antidote to too much festive indulgence…

MORITO’S WINTER TABBOULEH

Ingredients

For the tabbouleh

140g medium-course bulgur wheat
1 head white chicory, finely chopped
1⁄2 fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped
75g cauliflower, separated into tiny florets no more than 1cm in diameter
4 tbsp roughly-chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp roughly-chopped fresh mint 2 tbsp roughly-chopped walnuts
Seeds of 1 pomegranate, all bitter yellow membrane removed

For the dressing

1 garlic clove
1⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp water
1⁄2 tsp caster sugar (optional), sea salt and black pepper

Sam and Sam say: “This is a winter version of the famous Lebanese bulgur salad, replacing the tomato with chicory, fennel, walnuts and pomegranate seeds. The dressing is made with pomegranate molasses – the treacly sweet-sour syrup from
the reduced juice of fresh pomegranate. Winter tabbouleh is delicious as a salad or as
an accompaniment for fish or chicken.”

Method

Sit the bulgur in warm water for 10-15 minutes to swell before putting it into a sieve to drain.

For the dressing, mix the garlic with the cinnamon and pomegranate molasses, then add the water and whisk in the olive oil. It should emulsify.

Check for seasoning. If the dressing is very tart (pomegranate molasses does vary in sourness),add a little sugar if you like.

Mix the bulgur, chicory, fennel, cauliflower, herbs, walnuts and pomegranate seeds together.

Toss the salad with the dressing just before you are ready to eat, and then finally check the seasoning once again.

www.morito.co.uk