Bulgur is an ancient processed convenience food, high in nutrients. Its name is rooted in the Ottoman Turkish burğul, meaning bruised grain, and it originated in the Anatolia region of present-day Turkey, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

Traditionally the early forms of bulgur were made by soaking and parboiling whole wheat grains. These were then sun-dried, tempered with water, and de-hulled to remove the outer bran layers before being cracked or ground into coarse particles. Traditionally every stage was done by hand, but now it is produced on an industrial scale.

Bulgur is mainly produced from hard durum wheat, Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum (Desf.), a variety which gives it a yellow colour. This wheat is also used to produce pasta and couscous.

During the soaking and cooking stages, a high percentage of the vitamins and other nutrients move from the outer layers to the inner part of the grain. This minimises the loss of water soluble vitamins, so the final product is still considered a wholegrain. As there are no chemicals or additives used during processing, bulgur is a natural food. However, the durum wheat used to make bulgur can retain herbicide residues. To avoid these, it is best to use organic bulgur wheat as the herbicide glyphosate is prohibited in organic farming.

Compared to other cereal products like bread and pasta, bulgur has a higher level of nutrients including protein, calcium, iron, vitamin B1, and niacin. It also has a low glycemic index and is rich in dietary fibre.

The gluten content of all forms of wheat makes bulgur unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or wheat intolerance.

Because bulgar is already par-boiled it is quick and easy to prepare. Here is one of our favourite ways to use it:

Bulgur Wheat Salad

Bulgur base ingredients and preparation

• 1 cup organic coarse bulgur wheat
• 2 cups of boiling water
• Salt to taste

Place the bulgur wheat and salt in a pan with a tight lid. Add the boiling water and shut the lid tight. The bulgur wheat will fluff up and be ready in around 30 minutes (if there is any excess water you can drain it in a sieve). The bulgur can be used to stuff vegetables or serve as an accompaniment, and as the base for other dishes.

NB: the instructions on some bulgur wheat packets will tell you to boil it. Don’t. It will become a slimy mush!

Other ingredients (adapt to your own tastes)

• Oil of your choice, Vilma uses organic olive oil + 2 teaspoons ghee
• 2 onions sliced into rings or half-moons
• 1 inch piece of ginger cut up as batons
• 1 tin of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 1 bag of spinach or any edible leaves like beet tops, Swiss chard, or cabbage.
• 1/2 cup raisins or sultanas (optional)
• 1/2 to 1 cup of green peas or other vegetables like sliced carrots, cauliflower florets, green beans.
• Handful of seeds or nuts (optional)
• Parsley (curly or flat leaf) finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Extra olive oil for final dressing
• Salt to taste
  

Making the dish

Brown the onions in a little oil, add the ginger half way through this process. Add the spinach, raisins and chickpeas and any other vegetable and fry until there is no water from the spinach left in the pan. Then mix in the bulgur wheat and add extra olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice. This can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, so it makes an excellent packed lunch or a base for using up leftovers. It also freezes well.

Wild garlic for "Besto Pesto"

You can read Liz’s wild garlic poem in Flights online journal.

     Follow my scent trail into the woods,
     Pick your way down to where earth meets water…

From mid-March through April it’s wild garlic season in Europe. You’ll often smell this plant, Allium ursinum, before you see its long tapering leaves. It grows in luxurious plenty, carpeting riverside woodlands and other damp, shady ground. From April there will be white star-shaped flower clusters releasing their pungency into the air. 

Forage gently: approach with gratitude, try to step between the plants not on them, and don’t take too much. Never strip all the leaves from one plant. When you leave after harvesting it should look as though you were never there. Find a place that’s not too close to a busy road or dog-walking path, and take leaves that are free from snail trails, insect eggs or bird poo. When you get home, rinse your harvest in running water and leave to drain or gently pat dry with a tea towel.

“Besto Pesto” Ingredients and method

• A couple of generous handfuls of raw wild garlic leaves, rinsed
• A handful of toasted walnuts (or other nuts/seeds)
  
• Lemon juice to taste (from 1/2 to 1 lemon's worth)
• Olive oil to loosen the mix
• Salt and pepper

In a food processor, combine the garlic, walnuts, olive oil and some lemon juice all the ingredients to make a pesto consistency - smoother or more chunky as you prefer. Taste, and add salt and pepper, with more lemon or olive oil if needed. You can also add grated pecorino/parmesan cheese, but it’s not a necessary expense. Spoon into clean dry jars or other containers. Keep the pesto in the fridge, or store in the freezer if not using immediately. Pesto is not just for pasta - try it in sandwiches, in salad dressings, in soups, and on potatoes (baked, boiled, mashed, potato salad).

Wild garlic also makes spectacular garlic butter. Chop the leaves and mix into softened butter with salt and pepper, then roll into logs or form into quenelles and freeze. Wild garlic leaves make great wraps so see what’s in your fridge and let your senses guide you to create an interesting mouthful.

Spring is also the season for stinging nettles; just pick the new top leaves and avoid dog-level plants. Cook the nettle tops quickly like any other iron-rich leafy green (don't eat them raw - remember those stings!), and use them in soups, stir-fries, stews, or as a side dish. They go well with wild garlic. To avoid getting stung, use gloves or scissors when harvesting and wear sturdy trousers and shoes.