A fresh and colourful bulgar wheat salad recipe that's sure to be a crowd pleaser. Sweet and juicy Jerte Picota Cherries combine with salty feta cheese, peppery rocket and crunchy pistachios for a flavour explosion. Edible flowers provide the finishing touch to this oh so summery dish.
Cherry season is here! The sweet and juicy stalkless Jerte Picota Cherry is now available on supermarket shelves for six weeks only. To help you make the most of these seasonal delights I posted a roundup of over 50 perfect pairings using Jerte Picota Cherries. Of the fabulous fresh cherry recipes I rounded up from my fellow food bloggers the vast majority were sweet in nature. Cakes, pies, smoothies, gateau, cupcakes, jam, crumbles, cheesecakes and more. There were a couple of nods to savoury with a salsa and a salad but no sign of any pairings with the savoury suggestions of lamb, goat cheese or smoked fish as hailed by the Flavour Thesaurus.
Cherry season is here! The sweet and juicy stalkless Jerte Picota Cherry is now available on supermarket shelves for six weeks only. To help you make the most of these seasonal delights I posted a roundup of over 50 perfect pairings using Jerte Picota Cherries. Of the fabulous fresh cherry recipes I rounded up from my fellow food bloggers the vast majority were sweet in nature. Cakes, pies, smoothies, gateau, cupcakes, jam, crumbles, cheesecakes and more. There were a couple of nods to savoury with a salsa and a salad but no sign of any pairings with the savoury suggestions of lamb, goat cheese or smoked fish as hailed by the Flavour Thesaurus.
So when it came to my own seasonal cherry recipes I knew I wanted to go savoury. I've got something up my sleeve with goat cheese and cured meat for next week but for now I've gone with feta and pistachios. Neither of which the thesaurus mentioned but I think they are missing a trick! Bulgar could easily be substituted for cous cous, quinoa or pearl barley depending on your preference and the pistachios could be swapped out for pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts. Keep things simple by using a stock cube to cook the bulgar wheat and shop bought honey and mustard dressing to toss the salad in. Nasturtiums are flourishing in my garden at the moment and I couldn't resist adding some of their vibrant peppery flavour and summer colours to my finished dish. However they are by no means essential and the contrasting colours of cherry red, feta white and pistachio green already paint a pretty picture. The first bite is eaten with our eyes after all.
When it comes to seasonal foods its all about the timing and with Jerte Picota Cherries you only have a six week window of opportunity. Native to the beautiful Jerte Valley in Northern Spain Jerte Picota Cherries are a special variety of cherry, sold without stalks. They are a P.D.O. product (Protected Designation of Origin) which certifies that the fruit has been grown, harvested and packed under rigorous quality-controlled procedures and has come exclusively from Spain's Jerte Valley. When the cherries are ready to be harvested at optimum ripeness, they are hand-picked off the trees, leaving the stalks behind, and placed into chestnut baskets. This is why they are sold without a stalk. The word ‘Picota’ means ‘peaked’ and if you look at the base you'll see it has a slight peak. You'll find them on sale in Sainsburys, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi until the start of August so be sure to grab them whilst you can.
Bulgar Wheat Salad with Jerte Picota Cherries, Feta and Pistachios
Serves 4
100g Bulgar Wheat
500ml Vegetable Stock made with boiling water and a stock cube
100g Feta
25g Rocket
50g Pistachios
200g Jerte Picota Cherries
2 Tbsp Honey & Mustard Dressing
Salt & Pepper
Edible Flowers to garnish (optional)
Place the bulgar wheat in a large bowl, pour over the hot vegetable stock and leave for 30 minutes. Drain off any remaining liquid.
Alternatively cook the bulgar wheat according to the packet instructions.
Meanwhile prepare the remainder of the salad ingredients. Roughly chop the pistachios, cube or crumble the Feta and stone and half the Jerte Picota Cherries.
Add the feta, rocket, pistachios and cherries to the bulgar wheat and stir gently to combine.
Add the honey and mustard dressing, mix, taste and season with freshly ground salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with edible flowers.
Place the bulgar wheat in a large bowl, pour over the hot vegetable stock and leave for 30 minutes. Drain off any remaining liquid.
Alternatively cook the bulgar wheat according to the packet instructions.
Meanwhile prepare the remainder of the salad ingredients. Roughly chop the pistachios, cube or crumble the Feta and stone and half the Jerte Picota Cherries.
Add the feta, rocket, pistachios and cherries to the bulgar wheat and stir gently to combine.
Add the honey and mustard dressing, mix, taste and season with freshly ground salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with edible flowers.
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Disclosure: This is a commissioned post for Jerte Picota Cherries. As always, all views expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.
This looks so refreshing - feta cheese goes so well with fruit.
ReplyDeleteMy friend is always awaiting that moment when the picota cherries arrived. Seriously, he keeps us updated. I would love this salad for lunch. Shared!
ReplyDeleteI have not yet tried these Jerte Picota cherries, but they look good. I love the combination of bulgar, feta, and the cherries, with the pistachios for crunch and colour!
ReplyDeleteGiven the amount of salads we are eating at the moment this must go on the list, Its so pretty and I love cherries.
ReplyDeleteI love the addition of cherries in your salad Claire. A lovely combination of flavours. Thanks for sharing to CookBlogShare
ReplyDeleteLove the sound of this. Fruit in salad really is a revelation but I'm yet to try cherries. #cookblogshare
ReplyDeleteThis looks beautiful, love putting fruits in salads and the edible flowers just finish it off perfectly! #cookblogshare
ReplyDelete