Apricot, Bulgur and Mint Salad

 

Serves 4

 

A humble and sustaining salad, comforting and gently spiced, jewelled with fruit and herbs. This is a riff on a classic parsley-flecked tabbouleh, to which I have added the warmth of harissa and ripe, sweet apricots. A dish that feels both ancient and contemporary, light and yet thoroughly satisfying.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

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• bulgur 100g

• pistachios 50g (unshelled weight)

• pine nuts 25g

• flaked almonds 30g

• lemon 1

• parsley 20g

• mint 15g

• tomatoes 400g

• apricots 6, ripe

• golden raisins 50g

rose petals a handful to finish (optional)

For the dressing

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• harissa paste 1 tsp

• olive oil 2 tbsp

 

Method

 

1. Put the kettle on. Tip the bulgur into a heatproof bowl, pour over enough boiling water from the kettle to cover the bulgur by 2cm and set aside.
    

2. Shell and roughly chop the pistachios, then put them in a large mixing bowl. In a dry, shallow pan over a moderate heat, toast the pine nuts till golden. (Keep an eye on them, they will colour slowly at first, then burn in a heartbeat.) Mix them with the pistachios, then scatter the flaked almonds in the pan and toast till golden, shaking regularly to encourage them to colour as evenly as possible. Add them to the other nuts. Cut the lemon in half, place it cut-side down in the pan, and let the surface toast.
    

3. Pull the parsley leaves from their stalks, finely chop and add to the nuts, then do the same with the mint.
    

4. Roughly chop the tomatoes (I like to keep the pieces quite small, but without reducing them to a mush).
    

5. Halve the apricots, remove their stones then cut the fruit into quarters unless they are very small.
    

6. Toss them and the raisins with the nuts and herbs.
    

7. Make the dressing: put the harissa paste into a small bowl or jar, pour in the olive oil, then squeeze in the juice from the toasted lemon. Mix with a small whisk or, if using a jar, tighten the lid and shake it vigorously.
    

8. Run a fork through the bulgur to separate the grains, then stir them gently into the nuts, herbs and tomatoes.
    

9. Stir in the dressing and transfer to a serving dish.
    

10. If you wish, scatter a few rose petals over the salad.